Together In Our World Alone
by Blaquediamond Princess
Summary: Third instalment of my RikuSora cycle, sequel of 'Aches of the heart'. New trials and tribulations are waiting for our favorite couple and new threats loom on the horizon. Will they make it through or is their relationship doomed? AU, RxRsxS
1. Don't Let Me Go

_**Welcome back everyone! Wohoo! Oh yes, here we go again!**_

_**How's everybody been? Well I hope?**_

_**Oh I'm sorry I left you guys hanging with the conclusion for 'Aches of the heart' I'll make amends, I promise! No, not in this new chapter yet, sorry! But I will explain the past 18 months through the course of this story, superpromise!**_

_**So then… all troops ready? No one left behind?**_

_**Let's GO!**_

_**OH! Hold troops! The lyrics used in this chap are from the song "If you're not the one" from David Bedingfield. Listen to it when you can, it's so beautiful…**_

_**Ok, forwards march!**_

_

* * *

ONE : Don't Let Me Go

* * *

_

_"Do you believe in destiny?"_

_"I believe that you and I met for a reason."_

_"I believe that too… You're my soul mate, Riku; I'll never be able to love another like I love you. You were my first… and I simply know that you'll be my last."_

Four years had passed since that… a sweet promise made by a boy of barely seventeen. How beautiful and carefree everything had seemed then, how soft and pure it all had been.

With their naked feet running through the shallow waters of the shore of their play island, their laughter echoing in the silent night as the silver shimmer of the ocean reflected on their bodies and as they kissed and loved each other without constrains, free and endlessly happy.

Then, with the sound of breaking glass, this dream had shattered into a million pieces when things had started to get really confusing and complicated.

Deceit and heartbreak were the only words that described the past three months, the tears had drowned any other feeling once related to what 'being in love' used to mean.

So long had he been there, for so long had he loved him and never had he learned how to feel something else besides deep affection, admiration and love for him. He couldn't hate him; he loved him too much for that. Clearing his thoughts of him was an impossible task; the memories had stuck themselves into the deepest reaches of his core.

The broken pieces of his heart hurt at the mere thought of him, yet they all ached to see him again, for him to take him in his arms one last time, even if it killed him whenever he thought of what they used to have.

_"I love you, ange…"_

Tender words that burnt like acid through his veins, though it seemed like he couldn't stop wanting to hear them coming from his mouth, whispered against his lips along with the gentle touch of his caress on his skin oh so softly…

_"You're my soul mate…"_

_"I'll cherish you for ever…"_

His fingertips were playing against the cold surface of the window as he stared at the rolling drops of rain on the outer side. It would be so easy if the rain could wash away all of his sorrow and cleanse his scorched soul.

For now, the skies tears would have to replace his; he was all cried out…

_"Do you even listen to yourself?!"_

_Sora turned and gave Riku another angry stare from his standing position on the bottom stairs. "All I asked for was for you to take Trooper to the vet so he could get his rabies shot. Was even THAT an impossible task?" He said from between his teeth, before turning again and continuing his ascension to the first floor of their then newly bought home._

_"So what would you have me do, damn it?! Cut myself in half so I can be at two places at the same time?!" Riku loudly replied, spreading his arms as he watched him stop in his steps. "Who knows? Maybe THEN you'd be happy!"_

_"You know what? Fuck it, why do I even bother?" The brunet said with a disdainful chuckle, turning a last time. "Obviously, your career comes first on everything. I'm merely standing in your way."_

_"That's not fair, Sora!" The older one said, shaking his head in refute. "You think it's easy?"_

_"No one says it is, but I seem to be the only one who's trying to make this household work!" Sora almost yelled back at him. "I have a job and career too, you know!"_

_For a few moments they stood there, breathing hard in the intensity of their fuelled anger, staring at each other until, without another word, Sora turned around once again and went up the stairs._

_The crown shaped glass bowl they kept on a small table near the entrance hit the opposite wall and broke in a thousand glittery pieces as Riku threw it against it in a fit of rage._

"Tea?"

Sora woke up from his mind trip and turned his head away from the window, looking up at the damping cup of warm liquid Roxas was holding out to him. "Roxas…"

"I thought you'd need it." The blonde whispered, sitting himself on his right side on the big red couch. He offered the cup to him again. "It's camomile. It'll relax you."

The saddened brunet gave him a small smile and reached out for the small cup, taking a careful nip. "Thanks."

Roxas silently watched him as he stared at the golden surface of the drink. He had noticed, during the past three days that they were now sharing his apartment, that his brunet friend had preferred to find refuge in his solitude, which he completely understood. He knew how the loss of a love could shamble the foundations of your being and how it could leave you bereft with nothing else but your pain and no sense of the time passing you by. "It'll get better…"

A melancholic smile grew on Sora's lips and he closed his eyes. "When…?" He shakily whispered, placing the blue cup on its small matching plate. "I'm so tired of it…" He frowned in frustration and anger, holding his tears back with all his might. "There's nothing left of me…"

"I promise it will get better." The blond replied softly, reaching out to brush a few of his friend's chocolate lock behind his right ear. "I know it will."

"Yeah…" Sora said, sniffling and looking up to the ceiling to keep the now brimming tears from escaping his eyes. "I don't want to cry anymore…"

Roxas looked at him with sympathy and took the cup out of his hands, laid it on the low table in front of them before moving in to embrace his friend. "Sora…"

"I just want to forget about him!" Sora whimpered out over his shoulder. "But how can I when I know that I still love him?"

Roxas held him tighter, his right hand going through his hair again as he let him cry out his pain. "I'm here for you…" He closed his eyes, wishing he could ease his pain with just a tender touch or gentle words. How he wanted for Sora to find solace in his arms and maybe look at him as someone he could give his heart to…

Sora let go of him and sniffled, looking down into his lap, wiping away his tears with the back of his hands. "Does it make me a foolish person to want to see him again?" He hesitantly whispered, turning himself away from him and leaning against the couch as he curled himself up, looking outside again. "Am I an idiot to want to give him another chance?"

Roxas looked down, silently hurt by the words he had just heard, but still wanting to help him nonetheless. "Of course not…" He whispered, scooting closer to him and placing a hand on his right shoulder. "It's only understandable…"

"I've tried…" Sora said, "I've really tried…"

Roxas bit his lower lip, resisting the urge to hold him to him again. "What if you tried to get out?" He then proposed, "Divert yourself a little, set you mind off him."

"I… I don't know…"

Roxas moved to stand with his hands on his hips, an authoritarian look on his face "Come on!" He helped Sora up, "You've been in here for three days straight."

A small pout grew on the brunette's lips "I was allowed to do that…!"

The blond chuckled, endeared at his friend's facial expression, and took a step closer to him, bending over and cupping his face in his hands so he'd look at him. "It will get better, Sora, you just need to hang on."

The brunet nodded, his lips trembling as his eyes filled up with fresh tears. "Roxas…" Sora whispered, giving him a desperate look.

"I know…" He whispered back, taking him in his arms again, "But try and go out, ok?" He smiled as he felt him nod against him, "I have class soon, so take Trooper out with you and have some fun, okay?"

Sora nodded again, still holding on to him for comfort. He didn't know what he would've done without his friend. "Thank you so much, Roxas…" He whispered, smiling as he felt his reassuring heartbeat against his chest. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Sora…" Roxas replied, closing his eyes and secretly breathing in the soft scent of his hair. "I'll always be there for you Sora, just like you have been for me."

Sora sighed happily and nodded. "Thanks."

They let go of each other and Roxas watched how his roommate made his way through the living space and up the floating stairs towards the first floor, a gentle and loving smile on his lips.

* * *

The rain had stopped now and the city welcomed the rays of the sun which had managed to pierce through the dense pack of grey clouds up in the sky. 

The streets were still wet and the smell of the freshly fallen deluge was ever present.

Breathing in deeply, Sora had to admit that he felt a tad better now that he was outside, bathing in the warm glow of the dying sun. He put his designer sunglasses on; knowing very well that his eyes still looked puffy and red from the tears he had shed before. He closed the door of the apartment building after Trooper had found his way out and started his late afternoon walk through the city. He let the dog guide him, not feeling like paying much attention to where he was headed. He simply needed some fresh air and something to distract his mind from his ex.

Sora put his headphones on and started his mp3-player, finding satisfaction in the relaxing tune that flowed into his ears.

The hours passed and the city started to prepare itself for the night, lighting up like a huge Christmas tree. He had forgotten how much he liked DC at night; the countless restaurants and shops, the many different people and the particular atmosphere that hung around when walking amongst them. He loved how everything and everyone seemed to come alive at night in the metropolis, how he could lose himself in the tumultuousness of DC.

They were now passing by a coffee shop window and Sora realised almost too late that the two year old dog was now staring into the shop, wiggling his tail playfully as he barked once.

Sora frowned a little, retracing his steps to look at what had caught Trooper's attention.

Inside, waiting in line at the counter, was Riku busy talking on his cell phone and apparently just off from work.

Sora felt his breath hitch in his throat and he pulled at the leash gently to press his pet on, but Trooper only barked enthusiastically at his other owner, staying put.

"Troop, come on." Sora whispered, his heart beating frantically in his chest in fear of Riku noticing his presence in front of the window. The now fully grown dog refused to move and so he kneeled on one knee next to it, hoping fervently that Riku wouldn't notice them. "Troop please…"

Just as he stood straight again to think of something else to do, Riku looked his way and they both froze on the spot.

After a few seconds had passed like that Sora turned and quickly walked away, finding to his relief that the dog finally wanted to cooperate, hoping that Riku wouldn't follow him, not wanting to face him, not in the state he was in. He needed to get him off his mind, this had been the purpose of this walk; not to see, think or talk about Riku. How come even now Lady Luck choose to forsake him?

"Sora! Sora hold on, please!"

Sora cringed and grimaced but continued on, ready to break into a run as he felt a warm hand on the left shoulder of his hoodie.

"Sora… please…"

Trooper barked cutely again and he stopped, his eyes closed behind his sunglasses. He could feel how Riku moved around him to face him and he sighed, turning his face away from his.

"H-How have you been?" He could hear the hesitation in Riku's voice and he had to admit that, just like him, he couldn't hide his unease either.

Sora didn't answer directly but turned his head to his dog, placing his hands into the back pockets of his jeans, "Okay…" He whispered.

Riku nodded and smiled nervously, "Okay… I was… worried about you…"

"I'm fine…" Sora said, silently cursing the upcoming tears. He shifted his eyes up to the black sky, "I'm fine…"

Riku bit his lower lip and looked down at their pet that was looking up at him expectantly. "I just… I just want you to know that if you ever felt like coming back home—"

"How do you do it?" Sora suddenly asked, looking at him now, wanting to relieve the pressure that had been building inside of him. He didn't want to be a fool; he didn't want to feel the way he did. It was locking him down, making him feel trapped while he desperately sought freedom, freedom from the pain of dealing with his tormented thoughts and of being confronted with Riku in each one of them. He was so tired of it, tired of it all.

"Sora…?" Riku gave him a non-understanding look, wondering what was going through his mind this time. "What—"

"How do you keep having faith in us like you do?" Sora whimpered, not caring if his tears were flowing again. He loved Riku, as much as on that night he had realised it over 4 years ago, and probably even more. But being with him hurt, thinking of him hurt. Riku had been right; he hadn't forgiven him. He told himself he had, but he hadn't. Each time he saw him, he had that image of him on top of that woman in his head.

It just hurt too much.

Riku fell silent and averted his eyes from his face in shame.

"No! Answer me!" Sora cried out, looking at him hopelessly, "Answer me… because I feel like I'm standing on the edge of a cliff! I don't want to fall, but I feel like I have no choice." He then softly whispered through gritted teeth, his heart overflowing from the accumulated hurt. "I'm losing my faith in you, and it's the most horrible feeling I've ever had to deal with."

Riku closed his eyes and sighed, "I can't make you forgive me for what I did, Sora…" He softly whispered, his eyes directed to the sidewalk, "I can't force you into believing me when I say that I'm sorry for the pain I caused you. I can only hope for you to keep me in your life because I know we were meant to be together. I believe in us, because I'm certain that you are my soul mate and because I am a 100 percent sure now that I love you even more than on that first night we exchanged our feelings for each other. I believe in us because I believe in you."

Sora shook his head now, each word stabbing him right in the heart. "Can't you see?" he whimpered, "I've been hurt so many times, my heart is like a battleground and I'm tired of it, how can I be sure that you won't cheat on me again? I already feel so scarred…"

Riku took a hesitant step closer, "I know that there's no excuse to validate what I've done and I can only beg for your forgiveness over and over, hoping you'll grant it to me. I can't live without you; I need you in my life… Missing you makes me miserable"

"I'm scared to open up again… I don't think I can do it…" Sora whispered, taking a step back, shaking his head sadly, "It hurts, Riku. Being with you hurts and I can't take it anymore. I want it to stop…"

"Sora…" Riku tried to approach him once more, but halted as he saw him shaking his head again, taking off his sunglasses to reveal his watery and pained eyes.

"I need it to stop." The brunet whispered, watching now how Riku resumed his approach until just in front of him.

"Give me another chance. Let me prove my love for you, let me help you." Riku placed his right hand on Sora's left cheek. "Come back home tonight… please. Let us work things out…"

Strangely enough, Sora felt warm on the spot where Riku was touching him, remembering him of the sweet and gentle nature of his childhood friend. He wanted to go back home, wanted to feel his body close to his, longing to be loved again, to find that happy place he could only find when he was loving him. "I don't want to be a fool…" He whispered, closing his eyes as he leant into the touch, "I'm begging you…"

Riku closed his eyes in turn, bringing his head closer to his until their foreheads connected and he was holding his face in both his hands. "I won't make you lose faith in me…"

Hesitantly, Sora lifted his arms to embrace him, needing for him to hold him now, leaning in for a kiss.

"Sora…" Riku huskily whispered, bringing their lips closer. "Please forgive me…"

Their lips met in a soft, deep kiss, the pain, sadness and longing poured into it, the hold they had on each other only growing stronger.

"I love you." Riku softly murmured against his lips as they parted for air.

"Riku…" Sora now felt how Riku kissed away his tears, filling his heart with those same old feelings, the memories of their time together chained to his heart. "Baby..."

And yet, no matter how much he had longed and waited for this, he couldn't just give in as if the pain he had been enduring had evaporated itself into the night. He had put his guard up for so long now; he couldn't lower it just overnight.

"Riku..." He softly whispered, the palms of his hands resting against Riku's chest.

"Yes?" The older male whispered, looking at him attentively.

"I want to be with you again..." He whispered, looking up at him, giving him a trembling smile, "I wish we could start over with just a sweet kiss, but we need to slow things down. I'm trying to lower my guard so I can start having confidence in you and in myself again, but it'll take time..."

A reassuring smile formed on the handsome blond's features and he took him in a comforting embrace, "But we're on the right way now, aren't we?"

Sora smirked and closed his eyes, letting his right hand go through his platinum mane, nodding. "Yeah... Most definitely."

"Alright..." Riku whispered, pressing a kiss on Sora's crown. "It feels good to hear that..."

Sora nodded again, nestling himself deeper in their embrace. "It does..."

They let the world around them fade away for a brief moment, claiming back the intimacy they had lost so many weeks ago.

"Would you object if I asked you out for dinner?" Riku whispered after a while, his eyes still closed as he rested his lips against Sora's hair.

Sora smiled happily. "Depends on where you're taking me."

They let go of each other then, Riku still holding him close enough to run the back of his right hand against one of his pink cheeks. "I was thinking of cooking spaghetti tonight."

The brunet giggled, "With pesto?"

"Is there any other way?" Riku replied, returning his smile with one of his own.

"I gladly accept then." Sora answered with a chuckle and a nod.

"Great!" Riku answered, guiding Sora to his car parked across the street.

The brunet silently watched him as he took over Trooper's leash and helped him inside the trunk of the black land rover. Once, this handsome man made all girls faint because of his godly looks and sexy personality, even straight men had a hard time taking their eyes off him. Countless times he had re-assured him that his heart solely belonged to him that he'd never go search for his satisfaction elsewhere.

Did he perhaps give Riku a reason for doing what he did? Was what was happening between them his fault after all?

Their sex life had a great impact on their romantic one... did he drive Riku on top of that woman because he hadn't wanted to sleep with him for over a week?

Did he maybe hurt Riku's pride by refusing him?

Sora now watched how Riku got into the car from his passenger's seat and closed his side of the doors before starting the engine.

"Everything alright?" Riku suddenly asked, briefly glancing at him as he drove onto the street.

Sora smiled at him and cocked his head to the side, "It only can get better now, right?"

A gorgeous smile was his answer and Sora leant over to his side to press a kiss on the corner of his lips. "I promise it's going to get only better."

Riku smiled in contentment, his eyes still fixed on the road. "That's all I want for us, Sora."

"Me too." Sora answered, turning his head to the road ahead.

* * *

"Wine?" 

Sora looked up from his comfortable position on the couch now that dinner was over, watching how Riku poured him a glass of red wine. "Thank you."

Riku placed the bottle on the low table in front of him and sat himself on the other couch with his own glass of wine in his hands.

Trooper's head was resting on Sora's left thigh as he sat cross legged, staring at the blond sitting on his own away from them. Sora was petting his head and perhaps thought the same thing as the dog for he looked at Riku as well, wondering why he had sat himself way over there while their couch still had plenty of space. "Riku?"

The older male turned his head away from the TV, giving him a questioning look.

"Please come closer?" Sora whispered, gesturing to the spot on his right that was empty.

"You won't mind?" Riku asked, standing.

Sora smiled and shook his head, "That is, unless you farted or something."

They both laughed and Sora watched Riku sitting himself down next to him with a happy smile. "I missed that." Riku admitted.

"What?" Sora wondered, resting the back of his head against his right shoulder, looking at the action movie on the big screen.

"Your silly jokes and your perky little self. I really missed it."

Sora shifted positions on the couch so Trooper jumped off, finding a nice warm spot next to the electric fireplace.

"And I missed your grumpiness..." Sora giggled, resting with his head on his stomach now, holding him close.

Riku laughed, "My grumpiness?"

"Yes, your sexy grumpiness."

Riku laughed even harder, "Sora, grumpiness isn't a word."

"Sure it is, I invented it just now." Sora replied cutely, watching him from his position on his stomach.

"So I'm sexy when I'm grumpy?" He chuckled, sliding the tip of his right index down Sora's nose.

Sora closed his eyes and nodded. "You're sexy in whatever you do..."

"Really?" Riku sceptically said, taking the glass of wine out of Sora's hand. "How much of this did you drink again?"

"Hmpf!" Sora huffed, moving from his current position to swat his arm while Riku moved to place their glasses on the table.

"Now that's another thing I missed." Riku whispered, laying his arms around him now as he sat back on the couch.

"What?" Sora said with a discontent pout.

"That."

"What?"

"That..." He bent over and planted a soft kiss on Sora's pursed lips before running his finger over them lovingly. "Perfect, just the way they are."

Sora blushed slightly, his eyes fluttering shut as Riku moved in for another kiss until something in the back pocket of his jeans vibrated, breaking the moment.

The brunet opened his cell phone to look at the caller ID. "Oh, I completely forgot..." He whispered, before moving off the couch and accepting the call. Riku was giving him a questioning look and he returned it with an apologising one before walking over to the hallway.

"Hey Roxas..."

Riku raised his eyebrows in understanding and turned to look at the TV again.

_"Are you okay?"_

Sora smiled in thanks for his concern. "I am, thank you."

_"I'm glad to hear that, then I presume you're back at your place?"_

"Yeah..." Sora put his free left hand into one of his back pockets, "I'm back home." For some reason he wished that their conversation wasn't making him this uncomfortable. "I'm sorry I didn't call earlier..."

_"No, it's alright, I just got home and wondered why you weren't there."_

"I'm sorry I worried you." Sora whispered. "I didn't mean to."

_"It's alright, I just guess that I'll miss having you around here."_

Sora smiled softly at the small chuckle he received from the other side of the line. "Yeah, well I don't think I was that much fun as company."

_"Ok, no that's for sure,," _They both chuckled and Sora turned around to look at himself in the mirror they had in the hall, finding Riku standing with his right shoulder propped up against the archway behind him, looking at him with a soft smile. _"But I was still glad you came over. I'm here for you, Sora ok?"_

"Ok," Sora whispered, his eyes fixed on Riku who was approaching him now. "I appreciate everything you did for me."

_"Do you want me to drop your stuff over tomorrow?"_

"Nah, that's okay. I'll pass by your apartment myself and pick everything up. Thanks." He replied, turning around to face Riku now.

_"Ok. Don't let him hurt you again... Or he'll have to deal with me next time."_

Sora giggled softly, "I think we'll be fine now..." He whispered looking up at Riku with a soft smile. "Thanks again, I'll see you tomorrow..."

_"Yeah, tomorrow. Goodnight, Sora."_

"Goodnight, Roxas." Sora clapped his phone closed and gave Riku an impish smile.

"You like eavesdropping on private conversations?"

"Only when it interrupts something very important." Riku took a step forwards, his right arm sliding around his waist and pulling him closer.

"What were we doing that was so important?" Sora asked jokingly only to be silenced with an electrifying kiss that left him breathless and a bit dazed, "Nope, still don't see what it was, remind me one more time?"

Riku smirked and kissed him again, this time lifting him off his feet and carrying him in his arms. "How about now?"

"Now I wish you'd put me down." Sora said worriedly holding on to him tightly.

"Come on, you're not that heavy." Riku laughed, walking up the first step of the stairs.

"No thanks to your cooking!" The brunet whispered, closing his eyes. "Baby put me down."

"We're almost there." Riku whispered with a smirk, kissing his right temple. "I'm not going to give you a chance to run away this time. Your feet won't touch the ground tonight."

"And I bet you'll make sure I'm unable to use them tomorrow?" Sora impishly whispered.

"That depends," The blond said, now that they were standing in front of their bedroom door. He let Sora open it and he carried him inside.

"Depends on what?" Sora questioned, looking up at him.

"On what you'd like to do tonight." Riku smiled gently at him, laying him on his side of the bed tenderly. "What would you like to do?"

Sora sat himself up on his elbows and smiled at him, happy that Riku was willing to give him the choice and take things slow like he had asked him to. "Let's just cuddle then..." He whispered, reaching out to touch his left cheek. "Fall asleep in each other's arms."

"That sounds good to me..." Riku smiled, leaning into him and pressing their lips together again. "Then I can watch your beautiful face while you're asleep."

Sora blushed and they laid themselves on the bed with their clothes still on, holding each other close as they whispered soft conversations to each other, waiting for sleep to carry them away on a gentle stream of dreams.

Riku watched how Sora fell asleep in his arms, feeling his heart break as he thought at the distance created between them over the years of their romantic life. How he wished for this time to be the right one…

A strand of chocolate brown hair hung in his angelic face and he brushed it back, sweetly dropping a kiss on Sora's full rosy petals.

_"If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?" _Riku whispered to him softly, singing a song they once danced to on Sora's 17th birthday and that had stuck by him all these years. _"If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way? If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call?" _He held him closer as Sora snuggled closer to him, still enveloped in the protective veil of sleep. _"If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all?_

_I don't know why you're so far away  
But I know that this much is true  
We'll make it through  
And I hope you are the one I share my life with  
And I wish that you could be the one I die with  
And I'm praying you're the one I build my home with  
I hope I love you all my life_

_I don't wanna run away but I can't take it, I don't understand  
If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?  
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?_

_'Cause I miss you, body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away  
And I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today  
'Cause I love you, whether it's wrong or right  
And though I can't be with you tonight  
You know my heart is by your side…"_

Riku laid his head next to his, his eyes never leaving him, not until they felt heavy with sleep and his mind and heart found a satisfying peace.

* * *

The smell of toast and cherry jam filled his nostrils, awakening him from his deep slumber. He blinked a few times, finding the whiteness of his sheets greeting him. He shifted around in the bed; throwing his arm on the spot Riku had lain on last night to find it to be empty. He groaned in annoyance and turned around, following the delicious smell that had woken him. 

He found a rolling butler's tray with warm breakfast waiting for him and a single white tulip in a small vase.

Sora threw the sheets and covers off of him and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, putting his feet on the floor. He then noticed a note standing against the small vase and he took it, his eyes looking at the scrambled eggs, fruit salad, toast and jam and a pot of tea before he opened it.

_How angelic you are when you're asleep, my Sora..._

_Please forgive me for making you wake up alone, I got beeped at the last minute for work._

_I took Trooper out already and made you breakfast, I hope it's still warm by the time you wake up; you were sleeping as a rock when I left you._

_I love you and see you soon,_

_Riku._

An amused smile formed on Sora's lips and he switched his attention to the still warm breakfast. "Thank you baby..."

He served himself a cup of tea and walked with it over to the large window they had and opened the curtains a little to look at the weather outside. It looked like it had rained not so long before and he made a mental note to watch the weather forecast later on.

His bedside alarm clock indicated 9.17 am, which meant that Riku left maybe ten minutes ago. He sighed and sat himself down on the edge of his bed again, feeling hungry for more of his breakfast.

With his breakfast now finished, his naked feet landed on the wooden floor of their hall, his eyes landing on the large white vase with the bush of white tulips in it on the small key table they kept next to the entrance. A happy smile grew on his face for the second time that morning and he laid the tray with the empty dishes on the bottom step of the stairs to go look at the flowers Riku knew were his favourite.

"Oh wow..." He whispered, admiring the flowers' beauty. "Riku, you're spoiling me..." He then noticed another small note in the midst of the flowers.

_How about lunch at 1.30pm_ _at D'Agusto?_

_Riku_

"I'd love to Mr Riku." Sora said happily with a giggle. "You still know how to make me sway in your favour though, I'll have to hand you that."

* * *

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" 

Roxas was backing away from the door now before turning around completely with an annoyed look on his face. "Close the door behind you when you walk through it again, would you? I have nothing to tell you."

Riku slammed the door shut now, striding towards the blonde angrily and turning him around. "Have you lost your mind?!"

Roxas gave him a look full of contempt and pushed his hands off of him. "He came to me, it was not the other way around!"

Riku grabbed him by his collar now, his eyes seething with rage. "I'm warning you, stay the hell away from him, or—"

"Or what?" Roxas retorted venomously, "Tell me, or what? You'll slam me against a wall again?"

"That was an accident," Riku silenced him, his grip on him tightening.

"As was what happened afterwards?" Roxas said from between his teeth, "Or do you often fuck people behind Sora's back? Oh— but I forget, you did that secretary of yours too, didn't you? Only that time Sora caught you—"

Riku had now thrown him onto the ground and closed his arms around his throat. "I'm warning you, Roxas..."

"This seems to be running in the family, doesn't it?" Roxas hoarsely spoke with a smirk, trying to pull Riku's hands away so he could breathe properly.

The next thing Riku knew was that he had punched him in the face, "How dare you!"

"How dare I?" Roxas chuckled, touching his lips and seeing the blood on his fingertips. "You used me!" He vehemently whispered, "You had sex with me because you thought that it would satisfy your longing for Sora because he didn't want to touch you!"

"Shut it! You don't know anything!" Riku menacingly said, lifting his right fist, "You have no idea what he and I have been through! And I'm not going to let a son of a bitch like you ruin what we have!"

"He has you for that, doesn't he?" Roxas chuckled and closed his eyes, lifting his chin, "So go ahead; hit me then. Live your frustrations out on me. You did it before, what'll stop you this time?" He opened his eyes and stared at him daringly.

"I don't ever want to see you near him again, you fucking got that? Or I'll swear to God that I'll kill you." Riku coolly spoke, standing up, rearranging his trench coat and walking towards the door to exit.

"You sick fuck..." Roxas whispered as he wiped the blood off his lower lip with the back of his right hand.

_

* * *

It'sGoodToBeBack… _

_**-BDP-**_


	2. All Or Nothing

_Thank you for the pleasurable responses I got so far! You guys rock!_

_This chapter is a little more sex-loaded than the previous one and uhmm... well, fanficition . net readers are advised to read the full version on AFF if they don't want to miss out on the lemony fun!_

_As you maybe have noticed, I'm using flash backs in this story to explain the events that happened before this story began and to bridge the gap created after 'Aches of the heart'._

_All I can say is enjoy yourselves, it's my first lemon in weeks!_

_And oh yeah: Riku's NOT crazy, fammit!_

_**Chapter's theme**: Someone has a vindictive plan he needs to carry out..._

_

* * *

TWO: All Or Nothing

* * *

_

_"You need help, baby… seriously."_

_Roxas watched with an amused smirk how Riku pinned Sora against the wall next to the kitchen door, claiming the brunet's lips in a hungry kiss, his hands wandering towards the hem of Sora's bathrobe, pulling it up inch by inch._

_"Ah... Riku..." Sora giggled, holding his creeping hand from raising the fabric any higher. "You're going to be late for work..."_

_"God... I can't get enough of you..." Riku breathed against his left cheek. "You have to pass by for lunch."_

_"Will we actually have lunch this time?" The brunet held him at a safe distance with an impish smile._

_"I'll feed it to you personally..." Riku moved in and captured his lips again, sliding his tongue inside Sora's mouth for a more elaborate taste._

_"Hmmm... Just go already...!" Sora pushed him off of him with a chuckle. "Go!" He said more sternly as Riku moved in for another kiss. "Now!"_

_The blond laughed and finally turned, took his jacket off the back of a chair around the dinner table and waved at Roxas sitting in the living space. "Bye Roxas. You two have fun studying!"_

_Roxas chuckled and waved back, "Bye Riku! Have fun at work!"_

_The front door finally fell shut and Sora released a tired sigh, "He's insatiable... sorry you had to see this again."_

_Roxas chuckled, "I'm used to it by now, but don't tell me you don't like it."_

_Sora laughed and pushed himself away from the wall, "How can I not? He IS irresistible." He whispered with a small giggle as he walked over to his friend._

_"And sex crazed..." Roxas added, taking his sweater off now that he was out of the chilly October weather outside._

_"Nah, he's not..." Sora said with a soft smile before breaking down in laughter as he saw Roxas' sceptic stare, "Ok, maybe a little..." He sat himself down on the couch right from him, "Do you really think so?"_

_The other male laughed, "I was just kidding! He's just madly in love with you." He said seeing his friend smile contently. "But then again, how many times have you guys had sex this week? I've been here almost every single day in the past week and each time I stumbled upon you two trying to eat each other's face off."_

_Sora's face flared beet red and he hid his face in his hands. "We're Thursday right?"_

_Roxas smirked, "Yeah."_

_"I think I lost count..." Sora admitted, leaning back against the couch with a chuckle, his face still hidden behind his hands as Roxas was laughing his heart out._

_"Maybe we both are sex-obsessed." The brunette said with a giggle, looking at Roxas now. "We're celebrating our 3 year anniversary next week."_

_"It was about time, how long has it been overdue? Nearly 3 months? You're lucky you guys are still crazy about each other." Roxas whispered, his eyes trailing away from Sora's as he thought about his unfortunate love life._

_"Yeah..." Sora said, having noticed the sad undertone in Roxas' words. "But you know what? I'm a 100 percent sure that someone will come along for you who will be as crazy about you as I am about Riku."_

_A small smirk formed on the other male's lips, "Someone with loads of cash like Riku?"_

_Sora shrugged and chuckled, "Why not?"_

_Roxas smiled and shook his head. "I'll be glad if I manage to find someone like you instead."_

_"Me?" Sora laughed, "There's nothing special about humble me."_

_"Au contraire... You're everything a guy like me could wish for. Riku is just lucky he found you before the rest of us."_

_Sora blushed a little pink this time and he stood, unmistakably feeling uncomfortable. "Are you flirting with me, Roxas?" He asked with an impish smile, trying to sound as normal as possible, though he couldn't hide the slight raggedness of his breathing as he spoke, indicating the heavy beating of his heart._

_"Of course I am, I'm just dying to have Riku rearrange my face with his fists." Roxas seriously said, knowing he was making Sora feel uneasy and hoping to loosen the atmosphere a bit with his joke._

_It worked; Sora laughed, feeling reassured and turned around to get himself dressed. "You'll find someone, I'm sure of it."_

_**I already did find that someone, Sora...**_

_"If you want breakfast, you know your way around the kitchen, there's still some bacon and scrambled eggs in the fridge." The brunette said, now standing in the hall._

_"Yeah, sounds great Sora, thanks." Roxas replied, standing so he could catch a glimpse of him mounting the stairs._

_**I found him in you...**_

Roxas pushed himself up with his arms as he moved to stand from the position Riku had left him in, now awake after he had lain on the floor for half an hour in an unconscious state. The bump on the back of his head explained that nasty part of his dispute with Riku.

He wiped the blood from his lower lip with the back of his hand; wincing at the stinging pain that action caused and fully stood now to move himself to the kitchen counter to rest on one of the stools.

"Oh my god, what happened?!"

Roxas turned towards the door Riku had left open and found to his surprise Sora standing there, looking as attractive as ever in one of his signature ¾ black pants, black sketchers and sleeveless red top. "Hey Sora..." He whispered, smiling as he sat himself down on the stool.

"Roxas, are you okay?" Sora walked over to him, his eyes set on worry. "What happened to your lip?" he laid a gentle hand on the blonde's face, examinating the shallow cut. "Did you fall?"

Roxas closed his eyes and nodded, "I tripped right after I came back from the paper merchant..."

"You ought to be more careful!" Sora softly said placing his car keys on the counter as he walked over to the sink to wet a corner of a dish towel.

"Yeah, I wasn't paying attention." Roxas sheepishly replied, silently thankful that Sora didn't notice the missing newspaper he supposedly got himself.

Sora returned and gently pressed the towel to his lower lip. "Be more careful." He whispered again, cleaning the small wound.

Roxas nodded, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the presence of the one person he longed for more than anything. He could feel how his touch immediately made him feel so much better and how his soft words mended his bleeding heart even if it was only for a while.

Sora was looking at him silently, smiling at how cute his friend looked sitting like that. He couldn't help but think of how regretful it was to have such soft lips wounded this way… He shook those thoughts out of his head though; he wasn't supposed to even think such things. "You make me feel like a kindergarten nurse."

"I think Riku would object if I asked you to kiss my boo-boo." Roxas replied, avoiding a smile to avoid the pain that came with doing that. "You make a fine nurse, Sora. Thanks…"

Sora bit back a surprised gasp and wished his heart didn't beat as hard as it did now, Roxas hadn't meant anything by that; it was just a joke. Why was he tormenting himself over a simple joke? He vividly hoped that he wasn't blushing too much and so he took a step back and lay the cloth aside, "That was nothing..." He whispered softly, closing his eyes and averting them from his calm ones, "I was worried something worse had happened to you when I found your door open."

"Oh no, it was just me being clumsy..." Roxas said, daring a minim smile at Sora's soft nervous chuckle. "So you came to get your stuff?" He whispered, changing the subject and sliding off the stool.

"Yeah," Sora put his car keys in his back pocket and followed Roxas up the stairs to his room.

"I took the liberty to pack all your clothes in the bag as well as your tooth brush and other things." Roxas said as he now walked into the large blue room and over to the large bed on which lay a large black travelling bag.

"Bet you must be happy to have your bed back?" Sora chuckled as he took the bag over.

Roxas laughed, "The red couch downstairs wasn't so bad."

Sora laughed in turn, taking his car keys out of his pocket again before swinging the bag over his right shoulder. "You're just saying that to sound tough."

The blond chuckled, "No seriously, come and stay over whenever you want."

"Okay," Sora said, turning to him before he started his descent from the stairs, "but then you'll be the one sleeping in your bed."

"Ooh..." Roxas winced, following the brunet down the stairs, "Together in the same bed? What'll Riku say about that if he ever was to find out?"

"Ok, that wasn't exactly my idea, but if that's how you want it, we won't tell him." Sora walked into the living space and looked at him again with smile and a wink, deciding to be a little flirtatious himself. "It'll be our little secret."

Unwillingly, Roxas felt himself blush a little at the many thoughts that entered his mind at the idea of having Sora in his bed in nothing but his shorts and a t-shirt...

"Guess you're allowed to have your secrets as well now."

Sora gave him a semi-nod, "If it's not important it won't hurt him if he doesn't know about it."

Roxas nodded in turn, "If you say so."

Sora giggled and stuck out his tongue, "You wouldn't tell him, would you?"

"Oh god, no..." He shook his head fervently, "Not in a thousand years."

"Ok then..." Sora moved in to hug him, "Call me when you're having trouble with that Master's paper. I'll be glad to help."

"I'll hold you to it!" Roxas whispered in his ear, holding him close, "I'm really glad you're back Sora."

The brunet giggled, "You sound like someone mistreated you in my absence."

Roxas let go of him and gave him a smile, "It's just that I've had my share of problems while you were gone."

Sora frowned in concern, "Problems?"

"School related ones." He quickly said, shrugging.

"Roxas…?" Sora gave him a suspicious look, not buying it, "We tell each other everything, right?"

"Yeah… you're my best friend, Sora." He replied, scratching the back of his head but wincing at the same time; he had completely forgotten about the bump he had there.

"What is this?" Sora had taken a step closer and had laid his right hand on the back of Roxas' head. "You did not just trip and fall, did you?" He then asked sternly, feeling how large the bump actually was.

Roxas sighed, closing his eyes in defeat. "You really don't want to know what happened, Sora. Now would probably be the worst timing ever."

Sora closed his eyes and took a step back; not wanting to be jumping over to hasty conclusions before he heard what was going on. "Okay… tell me what?"

Roxas' mouth opened, but he closed it again, not finding the courage to tell Sora about what Riku had done to him.

"Ok, you know what?" Sora could tell it was something very, very bad and he just wished that Roxas could tell him now, without hesitating. If he was going to be crushed by the news, then so be it, it wasn't like it was going to be the end of the world. Again. "You've already lied to me about what happened to you, so you better tell me—"

"Sora please…" Roxas silenced him, bending his head in silent plea, "I didn't hide it from you intentionally, I just—"

"You just what, Roxas?" Sora said, sighing in impatience. "Is it about Riku?" He asked, knowing that if there was something that could hurt him more than anything in the world it would be something related to him.

"Yeah…" The blonde whispered, looking up at him hesitantly and seeing him nod in angry understanding.

"Ok." Sora said stoically, still nodding and crossing his arms over his chest, bracing himself for what was going to come. "So what is it?"

"About three weeks ago, before you were to catch Riku with his secretary, I… we—he…" Roxas sighed to reorganise his thoughts and then continued, "I came to your house in hope of seeing you so we could talk about my father's retirement party, but I only found Riku who told me you went to see Kairi for the weekend. Sora you must believe me, I didn't do anything to have what happened then."

Sora breathed in deeply, biting his lower lip. "I think I want to sit down." He whispered, seating himself on one of the stools at the kitchen counter and putting his bag down. "Is he the one who did this to you? Why did he hit you?"

Roxas, followed him, desperately wanting for him to believe him, "You have to believe me."

"What happened?" Was all Sora said, giving him a calm, blank look.

The blond gulped, starters of tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. "I had no idea back then of the problems you guys had, but he suddenly accused me of being the cause of them, claiming I spent too much time with you. And then, when I wanted to leave, he grabbed me by my arm and pushed me against a wall…"

"You're not going to tell me he raped you, Riku would never to such a thing!" Sora softly whispered, obviously not wanting to believe a word the blond was saying. "You must've wanted it as well, didn't you?"

"I…" Roxas whispered averting his face in ardent shame, "I must admit it, what happened afterwards… I wanted it, but that doesn't mean I didn't regret it…"

"Roxas…" Sora said in disbelieve while he shook his head, his lips trembling from the held back anger and hurt as he stood.

"I never meant to hurt you, Sora." Roxas now whispered, his tears beginning to roll down his cheeks. "I couldn't tell you because I couldn't find it in my heart to forgive myself and when you came back it got even more difficult…"

"Roxas…" Sora said again, sounding a little angrier as buried his face in his hands and took the information in. "So then, why did he do that to you?"

"Because he knows how I feel for you…" Roxas whispered in a small voice, "He knows that I'm in love with you."

A little smile grew on Sora's face as he heard those words and the sweet irony behind them. "I've known how you've felt for a while too now, Roxas…" He lowered his hands and watched how his cerulean eyes opened in surprise and then blinked to give him a confounded look.

"Do you feel the same for Riku?" Sora then asked with a joyless smile. "Are you attracted to him?"

"I…" Roxas said, unsure of how to continue.

"Well?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. "You slept with him, so I presume that you are."

"It's kind of hard not to…" The other male admitted with an embarrassed smile. "But I don't love him…"

Sora gave a humourless chuckle and then closed his eyes. "Do you want to know something?"

Roxas took a step closer to him and frowned in silent questioning.

"I told you I had kept Riku from touching me because he had done something that had made me angry, right? I never told him what it was even though I knew he didn't even remember doing it."

"What did he do?"

"He called someone else's name the last time he climaxed with me." Sora said, his eyes looking at him intently now without blinking.

Roxas' expression turned into a compassionate one and he slightly shook his head, "Oh Sora…"

"I know…" Sora spoke, smirking emotionlessly now. "But you know, I was actually putting up a façade. You know why I wasn't really mad?"

Roxas shook his head slowly from side to side.

"Because it was your name he called."

"But we hadn't had—" Roxas protested, misinterpreting Sora's smug look.

"I know you guys hadn't had sex before he called your name like that." The brunet softly said, "But I think that back then I wasn't willing to face to facts that I now understand a bit better." He took a step closer to him, "He's attracted to you, Roxas." He smiled at him as he saw his friend's eyes grow big, "But rest assure I'm not jealous in any way."

"You're not?" Roxas asked disbelievingly.

Sora shook his head, "Because… I think I feel the same."

Roxas couldn't hide a knowing smile as he heard that confession. "I was beginning to think I'd never hear you say it…" He chuckled, having found back the little of confidence he had lost, "Perhaps that was why I still kept hoping for something to happen between us… I knew you felt the same…"

Sora nodded with a small shy smile "I guess I really do suck at hiding my feelings…" He whispered, blushing as Roxas began to come closer, "It's not love, but it's obviously something…" He smiled softly, "I think I owe you a few apologies."

"What for?" Roxas whispered, taking hold of his chin to caress the skin there and watching with slight admiration how the brunet closed his eyes in silent enjoyment.

"First for what Riku did to you because it's my fault in a way; I wasn't honest to the feelings I have for you. Maybe if I had told him about it, he wouldn't have hurt you like this." He opened his eyes again, running his right hand fingers over Roxas' broken lips, "I should've been true with you; it wasn't right for me to keep denying what I felt while knowing how you truly felt about me." Sora whispered, softly smiling as he felt him brush back a stray lock out of his eyes with his other hand. "I'm sorry…"

"Sora…" Roxas whispered, bringing his head close enough to feel his soft breath on his skin, "Please, you haven't done anything wrong… Riku did what he thought was best for your couple… And I couldn't expect for you to be open about how you felt, because I know you love him. I know you could never fall in love with me, because he has your heart."

"You have a spot in it too…?" The brunet whispered in an attempt to comfort him, moving in to kiss the corner of his right eye, "I'll always cherish the things we've shared," He lowered his lips on the corner of his mouth now, "You too make me happy…"

Roxas held him close and kissed him back softly, "That's enough for me; to have a place in your heart…"

Sora opened his eyes, "Don't think I'm saying all of this to get back at Riku…" He felt his knees grow weak as a pair of soft lips traced a slow path down the left side of his throat.

"Don't you want to…?" Roxas murmured, his hands now resting on the brunette's hips.

Letting a gasp escape his slightly parted lips, Sora slightly nodded, "Yeah, I do and I think I have a plan…" He whispered before closing his eyes again, warm hands slipping underneath the hem of his t-shirt. "That is, if you don't mind us becoming friends with benefits…"

Roxas chuckled at that and pulled him closer, "Do you really want me to tell you something you already know, Sora…?" His hands crept up Sora's curved back as he saw the small smile growing on the brunette's lips, the feeling of his skin against his fingertips one he had never imagined to feel this good…

"Roxas…" Sora couldn't hide behind his love for Riku any longer… His body reacted to Roxas' in the same way it used to react to Riku's; the attraction was electrical, making every hair on his body stand up at the excitement that coursed through his body.

A vindictive smile formed on his lips as Roxas lifted him up by his hips and sat him on the kitchen counter, his eyes glistening with ardent lust as he laid himself on the wooden surface, Roxas' body soon creeping upon his.

Oh, he would get back at Riku alright… The guy had no idea what was coming his way…

* * *

'D'Agusto' was a small, Italian Restaurant right in the middle of the city Sora and Riku had discovered on one of their romantic dates a few months ago. They had been seduced by its homey feel and their delicious, traditional food.

On warm spring days like these they had their terrace open and that was right where Sora found Riku sitting as he stepped towards the restaurant that afternoon.

"Hey you."

Riku looked up from the news paper he was reading and saw Sora standing in front of his table, wearing a sky blue shirt and dark denims that accentuated his small frame. He stood and they leant towards each other, sharing a soft kiss before they both sat down.

"I'm taking him to the vet for his check up later on." Sora whispered, explaining why he had brought his dog along.

"Sora…" Riku softly whispered, reprimanding, and reaching out to the dog with his right hand underneath the table. "Troop is fine; I took him to Aeris last week." He petted him on the head a few times before smiling at the soft growl of affection he received.

"Yeah, but still, just to be sure… I don't want him to feel like I don't care about his health… I've been gone for two weeks…" Sora whispered, looking at his dog almost apologetically. "I really missed him."

Riku frowned a little, "I was kind of hoping we could have some time together." He said reaching out to take his glass of water.

"We are together now, aren't we?" Sora whispered back with a soft smile, "Trooper has never bothered us before? Or don't you like having someone looking at us?"

Riku smirked over his glass, raising a questioning eyebrow at his lover and putting the glass back down, "I didn't know you liked voyeurism?"

Sora chuckled, placing both his elbows on the table to support his head on the palm of his hands, "Just because I didn't like the video tape you made of us, it doesn't mean I don't have a kinky side."

"Oh I know you have a kinky side, I think I know all about it by now…" The blond whispered, wiggling his eyebrows as he took out his portable to turn it off.

"So you think…" Sora replied, secretly sliding his right foot out of his shoe underneath the table, giving him an impish smile. "Have I thanked you for the beautiful flowers yet?"

"No," Riku said with a smile, looking at him now after having placed his portable back in the pocket of his vest. He laid his right hand on the table with its palm up, "you haven't."

"Thank you for the beautiful tulips, baby…" He whispered taking his hand on the table. In the mean time, he lifted his right leg underneath the table, "And for the delicious breakfast…"

"Was it still warm when you—?" Riku suddenly froze as he felt something creep up the side of his left leg. He laid his surprised eyes on Sora's grinning face, "Woke up…? What is—?"

"What's what?" Sora giggled, running his index finger over his lower lip back and forth. "What's wrong?"

"I—nothing…" Riku whispered, clearing his throat and rearranging his position on his chair. "What happened to taking things slow…?" The brunet could see the slightly red colour of his cheeks and smirked.

"Am I making you feel uncomfortable?" He asked innocently, moving his foot to the inside of Riku's left thigh, slowly caressing his way up with his toes. "I just thought it was time to accelerate things a little."

"Ah… fuck…" Riku whispered with a chuckle, shifting restlessly and closing his eyes, unable to hide his current aroused state efficiently. "I guess I'm not in a state to argue on this…"

"I parked my car in an alley not so far away from here…" Sora seductively said with a sexy smile, "You have the whole hour free, don't you?"

Riku flashed him a hungry look and five minutes later, Trooper was laying calmly in a corner of an alley two streets further, covering his eyes with a paw at the dark blue Volkswagen New Beetle that was swaying almost dangerously back and forth on its wheels.

* * *

Blowing the matchstick out after he had lit the last candle on the dinner table, Sora overlooked the dinner he prepared a last time with a content smile before checking the clock behind him on the wall.

Not a second later he heard the front door open and shut itself. He walked up to Riku who took him in his arms and immediately pinned him against the naked wall next to the door.

"You must be hungry…" Sora whispered, his eyes fluttering shut and his body arching at the feel of Riku's arousal pressing up against him, "I made you dinner…"

"It smells good, but you smell even better…" Riku murmured back caressing a kiss into the crook of Sora's left shoulder. "You only gave me an appetiser this afternoon…"

The brunet moaned and bit his lower lip, "Baby… dinner is getting… h-hot— cold!"

"Can you re-heat it?" Riku murmured against his skin, nipping his way up to his lover's left ear and catching the lobe between his teeth, "I got to have you now…"

Sora gave a loud moan, now feeling his own arousal rubbing against his, the sparks raining down his spine. "Y-yeah… oh…"

"Can I have you…?" The blond whispered, moving his head away from his throat and brushing Sora's hair back as he caressed his lips against his hungrily, "Do you want me…?"

"I want you…" Sora breathed, his fingers tangled in Riku's long silver mane at the new attack against his throat, his body squirming underneath his in blatant pleasure. "Ah! F-fuck…upstairs…"

Riku coaxed his legs around him and held him to him tightly so he could move them up the stairs without breaking their heated kiss.

Face flushed, lips parted and swollen from the many kisses, chest heaving up and down as he panted, body hyper-sensitive to the slightest of touches and eyes directed up to clear aqua ones with a veil of underlying lust.

That was how Sora found himself to be as the last piece of his clothing, his boxers, hit the floor somewhere behind Riku, his skin now fully exposed to him as he had laid his hands on each side of his head.

Not even in the wildest of his fantasies had Riku imagined Sora to be even sexier than he was now, lying there with an angelic blush on his cheeks and his big blues looking up at him in an innocent, yet arousing way. "If there were words to describe how terribly arousing you look right now…"

Sora bit his lower lip, bringing his right hand up to his face, to brush a few of Riku's platinum tresses behind his left ear. "Take your clothes off and make love to me…"

_**(Just a few clicks a few clicks away...)**_

"Was it good?" Riku murmured against his lover's skin, caressing kisses on the soft flesh of his shoulders as they now breathed heavily in the wake of their shared climax.

"Yeah…" Sora breathed back with his right cheek pressed into his pillow and his eyes closed. "Oh god…" He then laughed, feeling like he was floating.

Riku smiled and kissed his left cheek, partly sliding off of him and next to him on the bed. "I missed you so much…"

Sora took a deep breath and slightly turned his body so he could look at him now. Their lips enmeshed with one another again, exchanging their newly re-discovered affection towards each other. "I missed you too…" Sora whispered against his lips with his eyes closed, "So much…"

Riku spooned him against his body with a content smile, covering the both of them with the blanket, "Don't ever leave again…?" He whispered, his arms encircling Sora's waist now as he held him close, burying his face in his hair. "I need you so much in my life… Don't leave me alone again, please…"

"Riku…" The brunet whispered, grabbing the arm around his waist. "I won't… Never again…"

"I know I screw up a lot, but… I can't lie about how I feel for you." Riku said, looking over his shoulder at him, "Please let me know how I can make this work better when you think it's necessary…"

The younger one then nodded with an impish smile, "Do you think you can go again?"

Riku lifted his head from the pillow to give him a questioning look, "You want to go again…?"

Sora pushed the blanket off his body and moved out of the bed, giving him a full frontal view, "Why not? You tired already?" Sora stretched out a little and smirked at his lover's wandering eyes, "You just said I could let you know how to make this work better when I thought it to be necessary…"

Riku nodded and watched how the little brunette walked over to their couch on the other side of the room near the bathroom door. "Yeah, and I meant it."

Sora chuckled, "Good then, because there is something I need to talk to you about." He whispered, sitting himself down and crossing his legs one over the other. "Before we have round two."

Riku sat himself up, resting his right elbow on his drawn up right knee, "What is it?"

"I passed by Roxas' place today." He said, still looking at him, his hands folded over his chest. "To pick up my clothes I still had there."

Not a single muscle on Riku's face betrayed a possible sign of worry or of regret or other emotion whatsoever beside mild interest. "How is he?"

Sora's left eyebrow lifted in slight surprise at the calmness Riku showed, but he carried on, "He was a little shaken up after your visit of this morning."

Now Riku's expression changed, "I can explain."

"Why?" Sora whispered with a chuckle, "I already know everything, baby."

"Sora… I—"

The brunet smiled and shook his head, immediately silencing him. "I'm not mad, Riku. I understand why you did it, but now I have a question."

Riku gulped, watching how he stood up again and leant against the wall right from the bathroom door. "What?"

"Are you really bothered by the time he and I spend together?"

The blond blinked a few times, averting his eyes. "I guess I just—"

"Because you see, now that I know what you two have done, it's my turn to have some fun." Sora interrupted him, not bothering to listen to any more of his excuses. He stood up and knocked on the closed bathroom door, smirking at the confused face Riku gave him as he did so.

The door suddenly opened from the inside and Roxas stepped out, clad in nothing but a bathrobe that was open, showing his naked front.

"Hey, Riku." He whispered with a small smile, turning his head towards Sora who was sliding a hand up his chest with a smile of his own.

"I have forgiven you for what you did to Roxas," Sora said, still not looking at Riku who couldn't hide his stupefaction any longer and just stared, "I have even forgiven you for what you did to that woman, because now I understand that your dick has 95 percent of your physical AND mental control." He looked at Roxas again, running the back of his fingers over his right cheek, "I can tell, even without looking at you that you want him and his delicious, lean body..." They kissed briefly, "But I want him too… so I'm letting you watch us go at it…"

Riku gulped, "S-Sora…"

"No, baby." Sora turned his head to him while Roxas began to kiss him in his throat, "You don't have any say in this, just like I did."

Bound to the limits of the choices he had received, Riku could only watch with unmistakable growing longing how Roxas lowered his boyfriend on the couch and took off the bathrobe he had been wearing. His lips met Sora's in a deep and erotic kiss, and Riku could feel his manhood twitch at the throaty moans Sora voiced.

Roxas was now positioning himself, his lean body bending over Sora's as he pushed himself in.

**_(A large chunk has been cut here as well as an important flashback...)_**

* * *

_TraLaLaLa… _

_**-BDP-**_


	3. The Aftermath

_Hmmm, I guess I've made a lot of sceptics out there, oh well, not that I really do care about those people, but still, I'm glad some of you haven't lost their faith in me so far._

_I will admit that there will be a lot of curves and unexpected u-turns in this story, but ya'll just have to have wait to find out all about them._

_If you don't like it, I appreciate you tell me, but please, disrespectful comments like 'that doesn't make me want to read the story anymore' I really do not need. The ages-old policy is of vigour here people: DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ._

_It's really a shame that some people out there just don't have the maturity to keep non- useful comments to themselves._

_To those out there still with me, please enjoy._

_**-Blackdiamond Princess**_

_

* * *

THREE: The Aftermath

* * *

_

_"Soraaaa! Nooo!"_

_Riku ran over to his immobile body on the snowy ground, throwing himself next to him and turning him around to look at him. "Oh God, please no…"_

_Blood._

_So much of it, it was everywhere…_

_"Babe…" Riku pleadingly whimpered, staring at the spatters of blood that were beginning to roll down his paling face. A rapidly growing red spot around the hole in the right shoulder of the grey fabric of his sweatshirt caught his attention and he let out a loud wail as he held him closer to his chest, his tears rolling down his face at the pain that tore his heart apart. "Wake up, Sora…! Oh please…" He sobbed even though he could feel his body growing colder with the increasing amount of blood he was losing. _

_Shaking his head as he saw how Sora's head fell back lifelessly and his limbs hung down behind him, Riku reached out to his face only to break down in more sobs at the blood that smeared itself out on Sora's face from beneath his own fingers. "Don't go like this, what am I supposed to do without you?" _

_Confronted to the growing feelings of desperation and the increasing agony of the situation, Riku let himself willingly drown into his sea of sorrow as he continued to sob the loss of Sora, not seeing a future if he wasn't part of it. What was there to live for if Sora wasn't there?_

_It was the sensation of a pair of hands shaking his shoulders slightly that made him wake up into the nightmare he had thought to have left for a brief moment._

_"Sir, please… let us take a look at him…"_

_Riku looked up at the blonde man in total confusion, not understanding what the man wanted to come look at. "He's dead." He whispered, feeling more tears well up in his eyes at the realisation of that one sentence. "He's gone…"_

_"Sir let us check, please…"_

_Shaking his head as he held Sora close, Riku rocked them back and forth, refusing to let go of what he had left of him. "Sora…"_

_"He may still have a chance if you let us look at him, sir." A black haired medic said, kneeling next to him in the snow. "He'll die if we don't help him now…"_

_"…iku—"_

_Riku opened his eyes as he heard the distinct whisper of his name and loosened his hold on Sora to see him form his name soundlessly with his lips, his eyes still closed, but unmistakably suffering. "Sora!"_

_"Ok, this one is alive as well." One of the medics exclaimed to his partner, who immediately began calling for a brancard._

_A third man arrived with the stretcher and Riku let go of Sora who was lifted onto the small litter and rushed over to one of the waiting ambulances._

_Riku shakily gathered himself on his feet and began to make his way towards the ambulance they had reserved for Sora when a soft whimper hit his ears coming from somewhere near his feet._

_He found Trooper standing next to him, the small puppy was shivering from the bitter cold as he stared up at him almost pleadingly._

_Riku bent over and took the dog in his arms, holding it close to his chest as he silently thanked whomever it was that was looking over them up there. If it hadn't been for this dog, Sora would be dead for certain now. _

_He covered Trooper underneath his bloodied jacket and zipped it up enough for the puppy to be safely protected from the cold._

_"Sir, are you riding with us?"_

_Riku looked up and quickened his pace, stepped into the van and sat himself next to one of the two medics from before, his eyes never leaving Sora who was lying in the middle of the small space, barechested as they were wiring him to different apparatus and back to his unconscious state, now wearing a breathing mask._

_The car began to move and Riku took hold of Sora's left hand in his, closing his eyes as he saw the hole the bullet had made in his right shoulder and intertwining their fingers. "Is he going to be alright?"_

_The blonde medic next to him nodded, "He's lost a lot of blood, but he can make it if we transfuse him the minute we arrive at the hospital." He checked the supply of oxygen the brunet was receiving and watched how his colleague nodded after having controlled Sora's pulse and other vital signs on the small monitor next to him at the other side of the ambulance. "He's stable for now. Do you know his blood type?"_

_Riku brushed back the wet strands of Sora's bangs with his right hand, "He's an AB positive…"_

_"That'll facilitate things." The black haired medic whispered to his colleague who nodded in agreement._

_"Take some of my blood, I'm an O." Riku said, sitting back a little to look at the two men, "He can receive blood from me, right?"_

_The one sitting next to him gave him a comforting smile, "If he is an AB+, he can receive blood from any blood type."_

_"Alright," Riku approached Sora again and pressed a kiss on his forehead, "Hold on just a bit longer, Sora… I'm coming to save you…"_

He looked at the small scar on his right shoulder as he stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom, observing the pale, new skin that had grown over the bullet wound with an attentive eye.

Touching it still felt kind of awkward so he didn't and simply gazed at it from different angles, pushing a little of his bathrobe aside to look at it better.

Thinking of that fated night 18 months ago didn't bring him nightmares anymore like it used to, the thought of the person who did this to him even less. Somehow, during the lapse of time that had passed, he had come to terms with what had been done to him and that he was still alive even if things could've gone way differently and ended more tragically then they did.

Everyone had survived and life had carried on, even now that the stone had sunk to the bottom of the lake and become part of it.

That, actually, was what the scar epitomised to him; that life had gone on. He nearly died, but he was standing strong today again. Life had gone on.

And now, he knew it was time to define the dots on the 'i' a bit more clearly. He knew that he wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for Riku who shared his blood, but he did not come back to life to be saddled with the shit he had put him through lately.

No way.

He proved it to him last night. If Riku thought that he could just fool around with whomever he wanted to, he could do the same. But, next time he wouldn't be here to scrape up the pieces of another broken heart.

It would be over. For good.

And life would move on.

He wrapped the robe around his body and put up the hood, ready to step out of the bathroom as he suddenly heard three soft knocks on the door.

"Sora, can I come in?"

Roxas.

He walked over to the door and let the blonde in.

"You have classes?" Sora asked, seeing as how his friend was already fully dressed and refreshed from last night.

"No, I'm meeting up with my dad later on." Roxas replied, closing the door behind him. "I just wanted to congratulate you."

"For what?"

"For last night." He took a step closer and kissed him on his lips, "You made me realise that you do have things under control and that you know what you're doing."

Sora smiled, "You ever doubted about it?"

"Well, I did begin to wonder when I saw how much you enjoyed yourself in our arms." Roxas chuckled, seeing Sora's impish smile and the eyebrow risen in silent observation.

"You can't blame me for enjoying good sex, now can you?" He whispered with a chuckle, rubbing his hair dry underneath his hood.

Roxas chuckled back and crossed his arms over his chest with a nod, "He'll think twice before he looks any other way again."

"Let us hope so," Sora answered sternly, turning around to look at his face in the mirror above the sink. "I'm not giving him another chance."

The blonde nodded, smiling at his friend's decisive tone. "Hopefully he won't need another."

"I've suffered enough; it's time for me to actually live my life." Sora said softly, staring at himself. "Love is nice, but not to the expense of my self-esteem."

Roxas nodded again in understanding.

The brunet then turned to him, "Thank you for last night."

A pleased smile was his first response before Roxas moved in to hug him. "I'd say 'Anytime', but I know that what we did was a one time thing only." They held each other tightly. "I'm glad you proved me wrong about you. You DO know how to stand up to that jerk of a boyfriend of yours and I don't need to come and save you from his clutches."

Sora giggled, "I'm glad you were there as a safety net, Roxas…" He whispered with his eyes closed, "We could've worked, you know."

"Maybe in a galaxy far, far away…" Roxas whispered back, making his friend laugh heartedly.

"No regrets?"

The blonde now let go of him and tipped his nose playfully, "Regrets will always be there, Sora…" He said, smiling a comforting smile, "But I find peace in knowing that you're happy."

"Thank you again…" Sora whispered, "For everything."

"You're welcome, hot kitty cat." Roxas chuckled at the embarrassed pout he received. "Make him see who's the boss."

Sora nodded with a content smirk as he watched Roxas turn to leave, "Say hi to your dad from me and I'll call you later, okay?"

"That's good," He nodded, "Ciao your hotness." And with a last giggle from Sora he exited from the bathroom and from the bedroom, descended the stairs and was out the front door a few moments later.

Sora now walked to the door and halted in its opening, leaning against the frame to look at the lump still asleep in the large bed.

* * *

There was a slightly cool wind blowing over the beach that morning, the sea slightly agitated as it washed onto the shore.

The little red rubber ball flew through the air as Riku threw it away for Trooper to go fetch, watching how the dog ran after it enthusiastically.

Sora smiled, tucking his hair behind his ears to prevent it from being blown away with the wind.

They were walking bare footed over the abandoned sands of the beach, having decided to talk things out after the events of the past night.

"Nothing is what it seems lately, is it?"

Riku turned to look at Sora with an attentive gaze, "It's time for things to change."

"I agree…" Sora whispered, looking at Trooper jumping after the ball in the distance.

"I can't expect for you to keep forgiving me when I hurt you."

"No," The brunette breathed in the salty air and looked up at the pale blue sky, "You can't."

Riku could hear the hardened resolve in his voice and nodded, not having expected anything different from him.

"It's been over 3 years now, Riku, you and me. Almost 4." They continued to walk while Riku listened, "I'm ready to spend my life with you until the day I die, but I'm not willing to lose neither my identity nor my self-esteem because of you. I love you and I'd willingly put my life in danger all over again if it could save yours, but you have to show me that I can trust you again, that I can look at you and see the man I've always seen in you. The one I fell in love with, the one that made me feel like the most important person to him in the world.

Most of my friends would've ended our relationship a long time ago if they had been me, but even when I felt like I was this close to give everything up, I still had that image of my Riku in my heart and in my head. The gentle and protective Riku from my childhood who was always there for me, who never did something knowing it would make me sad with no grounded reason."

Sora squat down and took the ball Trooper had brought back out from between his teeth and threw it away again, watching lovingly how he ran after it once more.

"You've put me through hell, Riku, but it was that image I had of you that kept me hoping that you could change." He stood again and now looked at him, "I'm no longer that naïve 17 year old who didn't know better but throw himself into his first love. I know now that love is not supposed to be this way, it's not supposed to be vindictive or supposed to hurt. I'll be 21 in two weeks and if given a reason to leave you for good, I will. I've only began my life and you're not irreplaceable."

Sora took a shaky breath and looked away from him to see where his dog had gone to, beginning to take a step away from him when Riku grabbed him by his right arm to hold him back.

"Don't have your talk and just leave; please…" Riku watched how Sora's eyes closed for a moment, "I guess that that was something I needed to hear." He whispered with a small smile, "I'm not irreplaceable, especially not with how desirable you've become…"

Sora looked at him, expecting for him to defend himself now that he had finished saying what he had felt like saying. "Riku, if I really meant anything to you, I shouldn't have felt the urge to say these things to you."

"You mean EVERYTHING to me, Sora." Riku whispered, holding him back again as the brunet had wanted to leave.

"With all the fighting we've done over the past year I just felt like I needed a break. From everything."

Sora turned to him again and looked at their naked feet. "It has been a rough year…"

Riku nodded, "We bought our new home, and I inherited half of my step dad's companies around the globe and became a vice-CEO overnight. You began your full-time work at the DC Chronicle as a columnist… there's been a lot of pressure on both our shoulders, babe." He took a step closer, "The more I came back home late, the less time we had for each other and I had to watch with helpless eyes how you and Roxas became more and more close with each passing day. The arguments we then had because of things that didn't work out or because of the stress we both had didn't make things better.

I was afraid I'd be pushed to the background and my fear became worse when we had that fight that made you leave me for the first time.

It was like my world collapsed and I thought that I could find my refuge in my work…

I have my moments of insecurity, Sora, but what I do and the results from that are never created with the intention of hurting you. Most of the time they're just not thought through…" He fell silent and gave him a remorseful look, "I'll gladly take the blame on me if you want someone to blame for the situation we're in and all I can say is that I'm sorry. From the bottom of my heart, I truly regret everything that has happened."

Sora closed his eyes, thinking back of how he had felt when Riku brought him back home two nights ago. He had felt then that, for a part, it had been his fault that Riku had ended up with that woman in his office and that Riku wasn't the only one to blame here… he had his share in causing the problems they had now. Instead of supporting Riku with his new hectic way of life, he had to admit that he had been busy with his own career and his new found friendship with Roxas.

He had blamed Riku for not making time for him and their relationship, while in fact he had barely given him the chance to right all the wrongs then.

"We are both such screw ups…" He finally whispered, placing his hands on his forehead, still not facing him, "And now I feel like an insensitive bastard."

Riku smiled softly, "If there's anyone who should feel like a bastard that should be me. You haven't done anything wrong and you're right to want to leave me for good if I mess things up for the umpteenth time. I'll—"

Sora silenced him with a kiss, his hands holding his face as he pressed himself up to him. "You talk too much, so shut up and listen." He looked at the surprised, blinking eyes of his lover for a second and then took a step back.

"If we both had taken the time to look at our relationship instead of blaming each other for all the things that went wrong, we wouldn't be here. We messed up and I was just mad and in the mood for revenge.

The truth is that if I left you, I'd regret it for the rest of my life.

Granted, you're far from perfect, but I've loved you from the very beginning and you've loved me for who I was my entire life. I'm ashamed to say it now, but I abused that fact to make you go through the same suffering I thought you had inflicted on me on purpose… I just wanted to feel in control for once. In control of my feelings and of my life…"

Riku wrapped his arms around him, "You've always lived your own life, babe…"

Sora gave him a semi-nod, "It's so easy to lose yourself when you're so attached to another…" He lifted himself on the tip of his toes and planted a kiss on his lips again.

"So…" Riku frowned down at him with a pensive smile, "with all the confusion set aside, you'll only leave me when I'm the one who completely messes things up next time?"

"I can't keep forgiving you if you don't make an effort to change?" Sora said with a shy smile.

"No you can't." Riku agreed. "And it's not because I mess things up that you're not to blame for it at times…"

Sora rolled his eyes in an annoyed manner, but smiled nonetheless, "Yeah, yeah… I have my imperfections."

They laughed and Riku embraced him, looking into those endless pools of magnificent blue, wanting to drown into them without surfacing ever again. He watched how his giggle slowly stopped and his lips formed a smile, his cheeks flaring up cutely at the attention he gave him. Riku lifted his right hand up to one of them, closing his eyes as he felt the softness of his skin glide underneath his fingertips. He opened his eyes when he felt Sora kiss his fingers and gave him a questioning look which he returned with a happy smile as he threw himself in his arms again.

"I'm so sorry, baby…" Sora whispered, pressing a kiss into his neck, his eyes tightly closed.

"Ange…" Riku breathed out; tightening the grip he had on him. "I love you."

"I love you too." The brunet murmured back, holding him tightly as well, "I didn't mean it when I said you weren't irreplaceable… No one compares, you know?"

Riku bit his lower lip and nodded, feeling tears sting behind his eyelids, "But I still needed to hear that, babe… Makes me realise all the more that there could be a day in which you could leave me. For good."

"Riku…"

They let go of each other and Riku immediately moved in to kiss him long and slowly, taking the time to explore every depth of his lover's mouth, entangling their tongues sensually and lovingly, feeling shivers run down his spine like it was the first time all over again.

Sora let him lead, making him moan softly as he felt him suckle on his lower lip, catching it between his teeth briefly before letting go and sliding his tongue back into his mouth, moving away from his lips and pressing kisses against his left jaw after having caressed his tongue back and forth over his, murmuring loving words and whispering soft promises.

"If I wasn't addicted to your kisses…" Sora whispered, tilting his head back at the fingers running down his throat and the soft lips that followed suit.

"Sora." Riku now looked at him again, a strange determination in his dark aqua eyes. Sora cooed questioningly, running his right index over his lips amorously. "Let's go back."

Sora smiled and took his hand, "Yeah, let's go back home…"

"No, not home," Riku whispered, holding him from walking on, making him look back confusedly. "Let's go back to where we come from."

The brunet frowned and slightly shook his head in non-understanding, "Riku…?"

"Destiny Port, Sora!" Riku whispered with a smile, taking both his hands in his, "Let's go back to where we fell in love and fall in love again…"

Sora could hardly hide a chuckle at how romantic that sounded, "But what about your work?"

"I can easily take a few weeks off with all the work I've been doing over there. Besides, Mister President of Nobuhiro Zaibatsu won't mind, he's been urging me to take some time off for days now."

Sora bit his lower lip in excitement, "I can always send my column in by e-mail…"

Riku nodded in agreement, "We do this, then?"

"Yeah!" Sora embraced him again, "I can't wait to see them again!"

"Yeah, and perhaps we can ease their minds with the good news of our reconciliation; Kairi hasn't stopped calling me at the office to scold me." Riku whispered with a slight frown over Sora's right shoulder. "What is it that you told her anyway?"

"Oh, nothing…" Sora said with a mischievous smile, letting go of him now and slowly backing away. "Nothing at all…"

"Why oh why do I NOT believe you?" Riku said with a playful scowl, taking a step closer whith each one Sora took back, "Sora…?"

Throwing his hands in the air and shrieking comically, Sora turned and ran away in the direction of the sea, knowing Riku had set in the pursuit. "It was nothing…!"

Riku laughed and soon had caught up with Sora, lifting him off his feet from the back and taking him for a spin in his arms, "You're a lousy liar and you're badly out of shape if I can't even give you a 5 second head start!"

Sora laughed and writhed in his grip until he stood with his feet in the shallow water, facing him,"Am not!"

"Are too!" Riku replied chuckling, covering his lips with his before Sora could reply again. "How about a race then?"

"Last one to the car is a rotten egg!" Sora giggled, already running away from him.

"Sora, that's cheating!" Riku called after him and wanted to run, but got slowed down by Trooper who brought him back the ball. "Ack, Troop! Bad timing!"

Sora laughed his heart out as he watched the scene from a distance, "Riku is a rotten egg!" He giggled, waving his hand in front of his face. He laughed again and then hit himself on his thighs to call his dog over. "Come on Troop, come to Sora! Good boy!"

Riku growled as Trooper ran towards his other owner. "Real mature, Sora! Real mature!"

But deep down he was endlessly happy to see that joyful smile again on Sora's face, making him realise even more what a lucky man he was.

The luckiest man in the world.

* * *

His fingers slid in between his on the mattress, their joined hands closing at one particular enjoyable touch, a soft moan sounding through the dim atmosphere of the darkened room.

Bodies sliding harmoniously over the other, ragged gasps and breathed words against moist skin, the notion of individuality gone with the cry of passion that tore through their beings.

A pale hand, strong and masculine slid up the path of tanned skin drawn out for it, pulling a yielding thigh closer to a yearning body, adding the friction that tore a whimpering moan from the smaller male lying on the bed, ready to be ravished and claimed as his.

One thrust was all he needed to feel home, his breath heavy, voicing devoted whispers and dirty words as he moved his hips against his lover's golden ones, earning praising murmurs and pleasurable gasps and moans.

"I need you… I love you… go deeper…"

He drank him in, devoured him whole with every ounce of his being, losing himself in the beautiful play of writhing limbs and trembling bodies. Cries mingled and drowned in their deep kisses, the heat making sweat trickling down their damp skin while they moved incessantly towards that much coveted explosion of colours and senses.

Small, toned fingers dug into his skin, sliding down his back to procure a sensation of erotic bliss.

"So tight… I need you… I love you... Come for me…"

And Sora came, his orgasm crashing down on him, shattering him. He cried out his lover's name, cried it desperately, feeling lost and yet saved at the same time, surrounded by his strength and power, never to need another, completed, claimed, owned.

Like always, Riku followed not too soon after, slacking his need as Sora was still shivering from the aftershocks of his orgasm, filling him up with his love and enveloping him in the comforting warmth of tangled limbs and in a soothing rain of kisses and caresses.

* * *

The afternoon had rapidly progressed by the time they were fully refreshed and clothed again, the sun already beginning its descent when the door of the 9th house on Ohalland Lane opened again.

"I'll be back in an hour," Sora turned to Riku standing by the door and they shared a brief kiss.

"How about Chinese tonight?" Riku whispered against his lips with a smile.

"Take out?" Sora asked with a giggle.

"Eh… duh?" The blond said, rolling his eyes.

"Then that's good," Sora moved in again and kissed him longingly this time, "Mmmh… see you later."

"Later, ange."

Sora turned and walked over to his car that was already taken out of the garage and unlocked it before stepping into it and pulling out of their large drive way. He waved to Riku who was still standing by the open door and drove away, unaware of the dark grey car that appeared out a side street, following him on the foot.

"Sora! Good to see you, lad!" A tall, middle-aged man with honey-brown hair and oval glasses marched up to him as he pushed open the door of the DC Chronicle work floor.

"Hi mister Skellington," Sora politely greeted with a smile.

"How many times have I told you already; call me Jack." He enthusiastically replied, "You are the staff's favourite, so you get the privilege!" He laughed and Sora couldn't do anything else but chuckle along.

Jack Skellington was the new editor in chief of the the DC Chronicle, after Alice Tenyaki the former editor left to enjoy her well-deserved retirement. Three months had passed since and Sora still had no idea why Mr. Skellington insisted on making friends with everyone at the Chronicle while he was already likable enough for a man his age.

Sure, he had his eccentricities but all in all he was fun to be around with. He had given a more approachable face to the newspaper that appealed more to the youth than it did before without losing its main, mature audience. He gave Sora all the credit for their newly acquired readers, while in fact Sora hadn't changed anything in his style of giving advice in his weekly column in the leisure section of the paper.

So he did not get it all when he was suddenly bombarded staff's favourite and employee of the month a few weeks ago. He only came to the Chronicle once a week. To hand in his column. How fair was that to the others who came in every day to work on more important articles?

He felt lucky that the editorial staff had taken a licking to him when he came working here for the first time as the Benjamin of the bunch. So when he received those titles he didn't receive any malevolent looks or hateful remarks or anything of that sort. Everyone understood that being this boss' favourite could be an exhausting job.

"Mr Skel— Jack…" Sora said with a chuckle, "I wondered if I could talk to you."

"Is it about the column of this week? You already handed it in, was there something you wanted to alter?" He threw an amicable arm around his shoulders as he walked them to his office at the end of the large room.

"Erm… No, the column is fine." Sora nervously chuckled, "I was wondering if I could possibly begin to hand in my column via e-mail now, so I don't have to come in every week to hand it in."

"Ooh… Is Riku asking for more attention?" Jack asked with an amused smile.

Sora laughed, "Well, actually, we're planning on going back to Destiny Port for a few weeks to relax a little."

"Ahh… Well of course little one!" He threw his arms in the air, "Go spend some quality time with your boyfriend now that he has some time to spend with you. He's been on the news quite often lately with that new fusion Nobuhiro Zaibatsu had planned with that other grand company."

"Yeah, he's been working like crazy." Sora said, nodding, feeling a little pride for his Riku.

Jack nodded again, "Just go on that vacation, but send your column in before the end of each week so we can edit it. We'll ask for your readers to send you mails instead of letters."

"Yes, thank you." The brunet whispered thankfully, beginning to walk away from him, "I'll come back tomorrow to pick up the stuff I have in my office."

"Okay, Sora." Jack nodded, waving him away.

"Bye." Sora turned and bumped into a tall, black haired man with deep, dark blue eyes. "Oh, sorry."

The man flashed him a smile and laid a hand on his right shoulder to keep him on his feet, "Be careful."

Sora nodded and watched the man walking away, frowning as he had never seen him before at the Chronicle, but shrugging it away as perhaps him being a new journalist for the paper.

He pushed open the door to exit, never realising the little smirk the black haired man gave him as his eyes followed his silhouette through the matt glass of the double doors.

_

* * *

Target is moving towards McCormick and Halberd. He's taking the next intersection."_

_"Copy that, I'm moving into him."_

_"Negative, we have someone up there to wait for him."_

_"Roger. Out." _

Riku stepped out of his car and walked to its back to let Trooper out of the trunk. He locked up and placed his keys into the pocket of his jacket, walking up to the large building ahead of him.

"Good afternoon, Mister Makoto." The girl behind the reception desk greeted him as she saw him walking in.

"Hi, is Mr Nobuhiro up there?" He asked her.

"Yes, he's expecting you." She replied with a nod, smiling at the dog.

"Alright, thank you."

Riku moved to the elevators to wait for one, rearranging his sunglasses on his nose as he noticed the many faces that turned his way in the lobby.

All of DC and the rest of the world knew who he was now that he was heir to one of the biggest multinational companies in the entire world.

After the incidents on Snow Lake Hill two winters ago, Ansem Nobuhiro had requested to meet with Riku, to talk about all the things they had never felt the need to talk about when their mutual hatred still stood in the way of a decent conversation.

Riku discovered that his step-father had carried ill-favoured feelings towards him for different reasons he had thought to be true.

Ansem revealed to him that ever since Sephiroth started his own business company nearly 12 years ago, he had seen his worry for the future of his own enterprise only grow. Sephiroth had refused to take over the company his ancestors had started before him and his father, leaving the task of running Nobuhiro Zaibatsu on Ansem's sole shoulders.

It had been his disliking for Riku and his wish to keep the company in true family hands that had blinded him from seeing the obvious option Sephiroth's refusal had left open for far too long now.

He asked Riku to become his official heir with a humility that surprised the then barely 21 year old, pleading to please accept his offer as it had been his mother's wish as well before she died.

Feeling reticent for justified reasons, Riku had wondered if it was solely the perspective of having to hand his company over to stranger's hands that made the great Ansem Nobuhiro so polite to him and it was the answer he received to that question that made him consider the offer made.

Ansem Nobuhiro had been diagnosed with prostate cancer and given no more than 2 more years to live.

Even with all the hatred he had felt for the man for over half of his life, Riku had never wished for him to die. Especially not from something like a cancer.

He felt sorry for this great man who had lived his life, Riku now knew, loving a woman who hadn't been able to return those feelings because she already had fallen in love with another man, and raising a son who turned on him and became mentally unstable. Ansem had told him how much he regretted not having been more amicable, thinking that perhaps they could've shared some enjoyable moments for him to remember on his last day. Work had taken over his life and he wished he had paid more attention to the simple things that made life rich instead of rushing from one business meeting from one side of the world to another.

It was with twisted feelings that that night Riku had returned to the apartment he shared with Sora to tell him the news.

Sora had encouraged him to do it, not only to secure their financial lives a bit better, but also so he could come to peace with the step-father he had had harsh feeling for for so long before it would be too late.

So two months later, in late March of last year, he was announced as the new vice-CEO of Nobuhiro Zaibatsu International on nearly every television station around the globe.

He had accepted to learn the tricks of the trade during the small amount of time the head of the company still had to live and he was surprised as to how easily he had began to get the hang of it after a full year of training, noticing to his relief that the members of the board quit giving him disguised looks of contempt when he assisted to one of their meetings.

He knew that it was a harsh universe, the business world, but with the colossal amount of work he had delivered over the months, he had gained the admiration and satisfaction of nearly all business contacts the enterprise had around the world when he had been left in charge for a day a couple of days ago.

It had felt fantastic to be able to control such a company and now it felt even better now he knew that Sora was behind him for the full 100 percent.

The soft bell of the arrived elevator sounded and he looked up for the doors to open themselves, stepping inside the metallic room.

His cell phone then suddenly vibrated inside his jacket and he gave Trooper a content smile before opening the device and looking at the caller's ID.

_"Where's my dim sum?"_

Riku chuckled and moved back a little as the elevator stopped on the second floor to let in a couple who were on their way up. "I didn't expect you to be home already, I thought you said an hour?"

_"There was less traffic than I had expected. Where are you?"_

"I'm in Radiant Garden. I called Ansem to ask him about our little trip." Riku answered, seeing how the young redheaded woman squatted next to Trooper to pet him on his head. "I'll be home in 45 minutes tops, babe."

_"I'll order on ahead so it'll be here by the time you get home."_

"Okay," Riku chuckled, hearing Sora's stomach growl loudly on the other line and watching how the couple got out of the elevator as it had stopped on 6th floor "If I had known how hungry you'd be I would've ordered it sooner."

_"You're the one who opened my appetite with your little tricks under the covers earlier." _He heard him giggle and closed his eyes, loving how it sounded in his ears. _"Cha siu baau or fried chicken dumplings for you?"_

"Take whatever you want, ange. I'll eat it." Riku felt the elevator decrease in speed and opened his eyes to see that the elevator had reached the penthouse floor, "But I gotta go now…"

_"Okay, be home soon?"_

"Okay, love you." Riku stepped out of the elevator and into the hall of the sole apartment of this floor.

_"Love you too, later."_

He hung up and knocked on the only door.

A white haired man with dark amber eyes Riku did not recognise opened the door, "Ah, you have arrived. Mr. Nobuhiro is expecting you."

Riku stepped inside, looking at this man with a questioning eyebrow before stepping through the vestibule and into the antechamber leading into the grant living room.

"Ah, Riku!"

Riku smiled at the man sitting in a wheelchair in the middle of the room, welcoming him with open arms. "Hello, Ansem."

"I'm glad to see you, my boy." Ansem embraced him before looking at him with his sharp, deep amber eyes, "You look well, so I take from that that you haven't been overworking yourself."

"You seem to be holding up well, too." Riku complimented him, though noticing the traits of fatigue on his rapidly aging face. He could distinguish streaks of grey in his white-blond hair now where a few weeks ago there hadn't been any. "I see your new assistant has been taking good care of you."

"So you've met him?" Ansem said, looking away from Trooper who he was petting lovingly to see behind Riku and notice the other man standing near the entrance of the room.

"Yes," Riku turned, "He opened to door to me."

"Meet Thomas Xehanort, Riku." Ansem spoke, moving closer to him, "My new assistant."

"Nice to meet you." Riku held out his hand and they exchanged a shake.

"The pleasure is mine. Mr. Nobuhiro has told me a lot about you." Xehanort said with a small smile and a bow of his head.

"The two of you will begin to work closely together from now on." The wheelchair approached the two men, "For I'm afraid that the strength to do much has begun to leave me."

Riku nodded, feeling a slight sting of sadness for the man, "You can count on us."

"I know I can, Riku." Ansem said with a confident smile before turning the wheelchair around and rolling towards the grant balcony at the other side of the room.

Xehanort followed him without saying another word and Riku did as well, silently watching this strange man, trying to get a reading on him of any sort.

"So, Riku, why did you request an audience with me?" Ansem asked, feeding Trooper a couple of biscuits out of his right hand. "I hope it is not work related?" He jokingly added as he felt them standing behind him now while he overlooked Central Park.

Riku took a step forwards and sat himself next to him on one of the chairs standing on the terrace. "I was wondering if you could let me have some time off, now that the merging with DragonCorp has been rounded up."

"Ah, yes… I can imagine Sora being impatient to have you for himself now that the hard work has been done." Ansem smirked, "Yes, you can take your time off from work. Thomas and I can handle things on our own for now. How much time do you think you'll need?"

"I was thinking of two weeks, so not to be gone for too long." Riku said, his eyes meeting with Xehanort's unwillingly. There was something about the look he was giving him that was simply unsettling for some inexplicable reason.

"Two weeks?" The older man chuckled, "My boy, don't be so modest! Take the whole summer off if you want to, you've definitely deserved it!"

Riku smiled thankfully and nodded, "Thank you, Ansem."

"But I do expect for you to be fully rested when you return, Riku. I'll need your help again by then." Ansem said, looking at him now as he saw him stand up. Riku nodded again and he took his right hand in his, "Enjoy yourself with Sora and I'll see you in mid-September, alright?"

"Yessir." Riku then turned to Xehanort and shook his hand again, "I hope we will be good working partners when I return, Thomas. I can call you Thomas?"

"Yes." He said with a rather dry smile, "You may so. And I do hope we become good partners."

Riku nodded in acknowledgement and began to step back into the living room, "Well, I better be going then." He reached out for his dog, "Come on Troop."

"Send my regards to Sora." Ansem said after him.

"I will." Riku said with a smile, "Bye."

After the door had closed itself, Xehanort turned his head to the older man with a concerned look as he noticed the pained expression on his face. "Do you want for me to call for your doctor, Sir?"

"No," Ansem replied, waving the request away and advancing into the room again, "There isn't much more he can do for me now. I only hope I get to see that boy again before I depart…"

Xehanort watched with a closed expression how Ansem moved himself to his room and cracked a smile when the door fell shut.

* * *

"So when do you want to leave?"

Sora pressed in the button for the dishwasher and turned around just in time to receive a pair of lips pressed against his in a loving kiss.

"Well," He whispered, looking at Riku now, wrapping his arms around his neck, "We'll be gone for nearly two months so we'll need to prepare very well."

"What is there to prepare? Why not just go with the clothes we have on? It's too hot for clothes over there anyway…" Riku nuzzled his throat, making Sora giggle.

"Do you want to go naked to Kairi's wedding?" The brunet chuckled, "I for one do not."

"We still need to buy presents." Riku suddenly realised, lifting his head from Sora's body.

Sora giggled, "Yeah, and you forgot that you're Wakka's best man? I don't think he'll find it amusing to have you running around naked."

"Nakedness could solve so many problems…" The blonde whispered, cuddling up to Sora again, "If everyone got naked, no one would be concerned with what to wear or not to wear…"

Sora laughed again, "You're so silly!"

"I feel so weightless in your arms…" Riku then said, looking up at him from his shoulder, "I can forget who I am when you hold me like this. You keep me sane."

Sora brushed back a few of his silver tresses back with his right hand, "I keep you sane? You're insane from nature, baby."

Riku chuckled at that, "Point is that you bring out the best in me."

Sora chuckled back and bent over, pressing his lips against his in a soft kiss, "You bring out the best in me too…"

"I wish I could marry you…" Riku had his eyes closed, sounding tired.

"We don't need to prove anything to anyone…" The brunet whispered back, "You love me and I love you, that's all the bond I need to know that I want to stay with you forever and ever and ever…"

A happy smile formed on the older male's lips and he kissed them again, holding him close in the dim light of their kitchen.

_"Targets are back at home."_

_"Roger. Sign off for the night, it doesn't look like they'll be moving anymore."_

_"Roger, Blue1 out."_

_"Green2 out."_

_"Silver1… out."_

_

* * *

ToBeContinued…_

_**-BDP-**_


	4. Big Belly Blues

_

* * *

FOUR: Big Belly Blues

* * *

_

_"Ladies and gentlemen, we have just arrived at Traverse International Airport. It's a sunny 87 degrees outside and the sky is a perfect blue. For those of you hitting the beach later on today, the water's temperature varies between the 62 and 67 degrees. We hope you enjoy your stay and we thank you for flying with Kingdom airlines."_

"Wohoo! Finally, we're out of that plane!"

Sora looked back through the large windows at the small jet they had taken as they walked away from it to go pick up the rest of their luggage. He turned and rearranged the position of the handbag on his right shoulder and made a face. "If we took the ferry, I wouldn't have been sweating like this."

Riku smiled, "The ferry would've taken another hour because it's high season. We got here in less than 30 minutes with the plane."

"When will you just admit that you lost those ferry tickets?"

Riku smirked and shrugged, "I can't admit something I didn't do."

Sora gawked at him. He had secretly known it all along. "You threw them away didn't you?!"

Riku shrugged again, shaking his head. "No. I never bothered buying them."

Sora growled at him. "Baby, you know I hate flying."

"I know, but now you'll get to see Kairi quicker, or won't you?"

Sora huffed and sped up his pace. He then pointed back at him with a threatening finger. "Don't even think I'm letting you off that easily!"

They picked up their luggage and placed the larger suitcases in the trolley, now ready to head towards the arrival's hall.

"Look," Riku pointed as they walked through the archway; "She and Wakka are already waiting for us!"

"You're still a jerk," Sora said.

Soon enough the redheaded girl spotted her life-long friends walking towards her.

"Sora! Riku! Finally!" She exclaimed, running up to them with a happy blush on her face. She hugged Sora tightly and then moved to the blonde. "We were expecting you like two days ago. What happened?"

Sora grinned and turned to him. "Yeah, baby, what happened?"

Riku shot him a glare and then turned to her while shrugging, "Sora miss-booked our flight."

Which was actually true. They were supposed to have taken the ferry three days ago, but when they found out that the tickets Riku allegedly had bought were missing, he proposed to take the plane so they wouldn't lose any extra hours with booking for the next ferry. Sora had been assigned to that task and since he had lacked the time to go to the nearest travel agency to book two tickets for the next flight to Destiny Port, he tried booking them on the internet... with all the known results.

"Why that son of a—" Sora took a breath to calm himself. "Jerk! We wouldn't be here if it hadn't been for you not buying those ferry tickets in the first place...!"

Riku suddenly began whistling a happy tune.

Kairi laughed and helped him with his luggage. "I see you guys fixed things?" She asked softly.

Sora nodded with a smile. "Like I told you two weeks ago over the phone, we compromised and now it's all better."

"I still can't believe he did that to you," She whispered, looking at Riku's back as they all walked towards the exit now.

Sora gave a court nod, "Yeah, well, it's all in the past and I've forgiven him. I would appreciate it if you did too, Kairi." He added when he saw the girl's sceptic stare. "Deep down, he's still the same Riku we grew up with. I just know it."

She wrapped an arm around his waist and nodded reluctantly, "Okay, but I have no idea how you do it, Sora... If I had been you—"

Sora shook his head and smiled, "There was much more to it than what I told you and I'm sure that if I explain the entire story to you, you'll come to understand."

She gave him a suspicious look, "Somehow I feel like you had your revenge on him."

Sora laughed, "Oh yeah. One he's not about to forget anytime soon."

They both laughed and caught Riku's attention, who looked back at them questioningly. "Have the annual Sora-Kairi stupidities started again?"

They stuck their tongues out to him and laughed again, gossiping furiously as they passed him by.

"And I who thought I had left all the rumours behind me."

Wakka grinned, "Why did you think that, man? You're probably even more popular here than you are in the city, ya? I mean everybody knows you come from here. And it's only gotten worse since you had that spread in 'Cosmopolitan'."

Riku groaned and rearranged his sunglasses and his black bucket hat. "How I regret that now." He then watched Sora loading their luggage into the big black Jeep and suddenly thought of something. "But I don't need to worry about a massive attack from females, right? They know I'm already committed, right? To Sora, right?" His voice was slightly getting higher as he kept trying to calm himself with each shake of his friend's head.

Wakka helped Kairi put a large suitcase into the trunk, "I know I don't need to repeat this to you, but, in the future, try and stick to only Sora, not only for his sake, but for yours too. That secretary has a big mouth; the news she slept with you reached local news papers. And people now know you swing both ways."

"I didn't think the news would spread itself so far... I thought only the main isle knew..." Riku closed his eyes, "It was hard enough for Sora to endure the humiliation there... and now here too? I didn't think of that..."

"Hey, Rik, chill, ya?" Wakka whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Our family knows it was but an accident and Sora and you are back together. Just focus on that, ya? You guys have seen worse than this."

"Yeah…" he absent-mindedly whispered back as he watched Kairi and Sora step into the car and sitting themselves on the back seat after they had closed the trunk, still babbling.

"It's no time to be talking about stuff like that anyways, eh bro?" Riku took place in the passenger's seat and closed his door. "You're like only marrying the prettiest girl of the Destiny Islands Archipelago—"

"Hey, hold it right there," Kairi suddenly intervened, flashing him an angry stare. "What do you mean 'the prettiest girl of the Destiny Islands Archipelago'?"

"Eh?" Riku gave his friend a questioning look only to see the redhead wince silently behind the steering wheel. "Err— I meant uh… the most gorgeous woman in the world?"

"Jerk," she whispered with a playful smile.

"It's amazing how we both feel the same about that retarded specimen of the human male…" Sora added with an evil smirk to his boyfriend. "Sometimes I wonder how I got stuck with _that_." He then laughed as he saw Riku's expression of indignation and leant forwards to press a soft kiss on his lips, winking to him as he sat back.

"You got a lot of explaining to do, Blondielocks," Kairi then added with a more serious look on her face before turning back to Sora.

Riku sighed and turned around in his seat to put his seatbelt on, scratching the back of his head at the slightly embarrassing moment that had just passed. "That was to be expected…"

Wakka gave him a friendly shoulder tap and then started the car. "Hey, she was just worried about the both of you. We all were."

"Yeah…" Riku smiled softly. "But we're okay now."

"That's good, bro," Wakka said with a chuckle, keeping his eyes on the road, "'cuz I wouldn't have wanted to explain to our families why the wedding would've been cancelled, ya?"

"Come on, you can't be serious," Riku chuckled back, shaking his head.

"Oh no, we are."

One silver eyebrow rose in silent surprise.

"Kairi and I would've annulled our wedding if you two had split up," Wakka confirmed his friend. "Kairi said she'd be devastated if that ever was to happen. Said she wouldn't be able to enjoy the most important day in her life if the people she cared for most weren't happy themselves."

Riku turned to look outside his window with a pensive expression on his face. "I had no idea we had that much influence on the wedding."

"Oh yea…" the redhead said with a grin. "You guys are very important to us…"

"Wakka," Riku gave him an uncomfortable smile and slightly shook his head. "We don't want yours and Kairi's happiness to depend on us…?"

"Don't worry bro, ya?" Wakka briefly cast him a glance and smirked. "The wedding is just a symbolic ritual, Kairi and me still'd be happy together if you two had chosen to break up. It's just that there ain't a point in having a wedding if our best friends aren't happy in their love lives."

An understanding smile formed on the silver haired male and he nodded. "But eh— you sure it isn't just a reason to eventually postpone the wedding again?"

"Yeah, eh…" Wakka turned to look at him briefly again and lowered his voice; "How 'back together' are you with Sora?"

Riku laughed.

"No man," he then said with a loving smile on his face. "I want to marry her. She's the one for me. I've known it ever since I first laid my eyes on her."

Riku nodded, remembering the many times he had caught Wakka staring at the new auburn haired girl that had then just moved from the vast land to their peaceful island.

Even though his longing gazes didn't meet the same feelings he hoped for the first few years, it was by chance that their hearts chose to beat for one and other to make the friendship they had already established bloom into a passionate love story.

"I'm glad I'm still alive to witness the day you'll get married…" Riku joked, earning a crooked smile from his friend.

"Nothing like that happening anytime soon for you guys?" Wakka teased, his eyes rolling up and looking into the rear-view mirror to rest on the laughing brunet sitting in his back seat. "I hear that they've approved gay marriage in Xillion."

"Sora and I aren't going to…" he answered with a soft reminiscing smile. "We're fine the way we are." He rested his eyes on Sora in the rear-view mirror and their gazes met. They smiled at each other before Riku turned to look at the scenery outside his window to hide the unexpected sad gleam his eyes had suddenly gotten.

"We don't have anything to prove. Not to anyone."

* * *

His room still looked the same ever since he last saw it almost 4 years ago.

Well, not entirely the same.

"I don't think I've ever seen it so clean in my whole life," Riku whispered as they stood by the door and placed their bags down.

Sora giggled and stepped in, looking around in nostalgia as every little thing in the room revealed a long lost memory. "Oh my God..." He grinned, now staring at his airboat model.

"Only the bed has changed," Riku noted, pointing towards the corner near the window.

Sora turned his head and noticed the two-persons bed readily placed on the same spot Sora's old one had been. "No more fights over the blanket."

Riku laughed and peeked into the bathroom, "Nothing much has changed in here either."

Sora sat down on the bed and fell back on it. "I'm so glad to be back here."

Riku turned and walked up to the bed before laying himself on top of him. "You know, you were the one who kept whining about how sweaty you were..." He nuzzled his throat and planted a kiss there. "How about reliving some of those cherished memories, hm?"

Sora chuckled and took hold of his head to bring it down for a kiss. "Just so you know, I still haven't forgiven you."

Riku raised an eye brow and smirked. "Show me how mad you are then, huh?"

"Wow, I think I went back in time, because that scene looks strangely familiar to me."

Riku fell face first on the mattress as Sora turned his head to see the person standing by the door.

"Cloud!" The brunet exclaimed and pushed Riku over. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"Hey there Sora," Kairi's brother said with a snow-white smile. "Good to see you too!"

"Hey Cloud," Riku said from his spot on the bed.

"Sorry for interrupting so cruelly, Rik," He replied with a chuckle as he now embraced Sora with his right arm.

"How have you been?" Sora asked, looking him over. "Kairi told me you've recovered more functions in your left arm?"

Cloud showed him his hands and wiggled all of his fingers, though you could see that the left hand fingers went a little slower than the right hand ones. "Yes, it's beginning to re-gain all of its former abilities, though lifting stuff still proves itself to be a little difficult."

"That's good news!" Sora said cheerfully.

Riku stood up and nodded, "You'll have full functions back in no time, I'm sure."

"Yeah, the doctors said so too," he smiled at them. "Leon and I came to help plan the wedding. That is, if it's ever going to take place."

"How many times has it been postponed now?" Riku jokingly said, placing his arms around Sora from behind and pressing a kiss in his neck. "Three-four times?"

"This time it'll stick, you'll see..." Sora soothingly said, leaning back against him. "Otherwise I'll make it stick. I can no longer hear that woman's wedding fantasies."

Cloud laughed, "It's good to see you guys again. I had heard some worrying news concerning you two."

"Well, as you can see," Sora said with a big grin, "there's nothing left to worry about." And to stress that statement he looked up at Riku and they shared a soft kiss.

"Yes, the position I found you in was enough proof as well."

Riku buried his face into Sora's hair and nodded. "And I for one would like to get back into that position..."

A red blush appeared on Sora's cheeks and he chuckled nervously, feeling how Riku was making little thrusts with his hips against him. "Errm... yeah. So, uh, was there something else you needed to tell us?"

Cloud chuckled and averted his eyes, "Just that we're going to 'Oblivion' tonight with the rest of the gang. It's a little before 10 now, so if you're planning on having the rest of the day 'off', you know where to find us after 11 o'clock tonight. I'm taking your mother to Castleview Mall for tomorrow's dinner party, Kairi is joining us. Wakka went to practice and Leon is catching up on some sleep because he arrived late last night from Dusk."

Sora only made an agreeing sound as he could no longer trust his own voice now that his body had awakened to Riku's provocative movements behind him.

As soon as the door fell shut behind Cloud, Sora turned around to face Riku with an impish smile on his lips. "Now I remember how easy it was to get you all worked up back in the days..."

Riku smirked and grabbed him by his hips, "And I remember how I once took you," he twirled them around, "against this same wall."

"G-God... Riku..."

With his nimble fingers he unbuttoned the white shirt Sora had on, nearly drooling at the little erected buds that got revealed and the lean muscles of his caramel toned abdomen. Not resisting the urge, he soon moved in for a taste of skin on tongue, capturing one small peak of flesh in between his teeth while his hands slid up his back underneath the loosened fabric of his shirt, holding him to him.

Desire had now long taken command over Sora's body and he held him to him as well, wanting to feel him against his skin as much as possible.

"Baby, hurry..."

Riku slid his hands into Sora's kaki pants and grabbed his twin cheeks in each, adding more friction between their growing arousals. Their lips intertwined in a fervent dance of tongues while clothing steadily began to fall to the floor around them until there was nothing left on them and their naked bodies writhed sensually against the wall next to the bathroom door.

"What if mum comes in...?" Sora suddenly whispered, the thought having crossed his mind. He held back a moan as Riku kissed his way up his throat.

"I'm trying to get laid here and you're asking me about your mum?"

Sora's chuckle soon turned into another moan. Riku lifted his left leg and pressed up closer to him, sending another bolt of electricity up his spine. "How do you want us to explain it if she comes in?"

Riku growled and detached himself from Sora's skin to look at him. "Babe, you're not 17 anymore. I think she knows you're no longer a virgin."

"B-but we-ahh... we sometimes do it 6 times a day..."

Riku chuckled and lifted him up by his hips a little. Sora wrapped his arms and legs around him. "We can find other spots to have our little one-on-ones."

"Hmm..." Sora kissed him, "Got any ideas?"

"The beach," Riku kissed him back, "Our old secret spot, the sea-side shack."

Sora bit back a yell as he now felt Riku's tip pressing up against his entrance. "Baby, please we shouldn't make too much noise, they're still downstairs... I really don't want—"

"Like this?" Riku sheathed himself inside of him with a slow thrust, grinning from ear to ear at the loud whimper his boyfriend let out.

Sora grabbed the back of Riku's head and pulled him to him. "I hate you..." He then softly whimpered, trembling slightly now that he pulled back out. Riku moved in to kiss him and hushed his protest, taking him to that place of sinful pleasure and parent-free bliss.

* * *

Thick drops of water sprouted out of the silver showerhead as Sora set it on 'raindrops' and stepped into the shower.

"What are you waiting for?"

Riku rolled over the bed with a groan. "For you to get back in here..." He said, sitting on the edge of the large bed and flashing him a seductive smile. "Cloud said we had all day."

Sora placed his head underneath the refreshing spray of lukewarm water and turned around to give him a reprimanding look. "You seriously wanted to spend our first day here in bed?"

"What? You don't like the company?" Riku joked and made an amused face in response to Sora's playful pout.

Somewhere in the room he suddenly heard his mobile phone vibrate.

He stood up with a yawn and looked around for his pair of black designer cargo pants. "I'll be right back, babe." Riku said as he found them and began to put them on. He took the black device in his hand and opened it.

"Okay," Sora said from underneath his shower.

"Makoto," Riku spoke as he closed the door to Sora's room behind him.

_"I hope I'm not interrupting anything, Riku?"_ A familiar voice spoke from the other side of the line.

A smile formed on Riku's lips and he chuckled, "I'm on vacation, you'll always be interrupting something every time you'll call, Thomas."

The man was clearly amused by that statement. _"Then I'll be brief."_

"Yes, by all means be."

"Mr. Nobuhiro has arranged for you and Sora to stay at your ancient mansion. This, of course, in regard of your own security."

"The press finally caught on?"

"It seems they've been kept out of the loop so far about your little trip, but I would suggest you move to your old house as soon as possible to avoid possible problems."

Riku sighed and rolled his eyes. This is where being famous sucked ass even more. "How many have there been assigned to me?"

"Four. Two for you and two for Sora. Your first escort will arrive in 20 minutes. They will call, as soon as I hang up, for confirmation. You are still at the Nagakawa residence?"

"Yes. You have my thanks, Thomas."

"Thank Mr Nobuhiro, he is the one looking after his favourite apprentice."

Riku could've sworn to have heard a little bit of contempt in his voice, but decided to shake it off for the time being. He came to the conclusion that it perhaps was better to move to a more secured house now that he thought about all the people in town and the rumours that still roamed around here... There was nothing else to do—

"AAH! Riku!"

_"Have a pleasant stay, Riku."_

Without much thought Riku murmured a 'thanks' and hung up, hurrying back inside the room. "Sora? Sora, what's going—"

He didn't need to finish his sentence, for outside the room's sole window was a large, black camera and a white flashlight that went off.

Not wasting another minute Riku grabbed Sora who had clad himself in a dressing robe and sheltered him from the flashes as they hurried out of the room.

"Shit!" He cursed underneath his breath, now slamming the door closed. He looked at Sora who was still wet from his shower and gave him an apologising gaze.

"We can't stay here anymore, right?" Sora whispered sadly.

Riku bit his lower lip and shook his head. His phone then rang again and he picked it up, knowing exactly what he was going to say to the person on the other line.

"We need you to be here ASAP."

_"Yessir."_

Riku then turned to Sora and took him in his arms. "I didn't expect for them to find us that quickly. I'm sorry, ange."

Sora let go of him and shook his head. "I was just surprised, that's all. I knew this would happen eventually." He smiled nervously and quickly buried himself into his arms again.

"There's an escort coming to get us soon for my old house on Dawn Street. They've secured it."

Sora only nodded and Riku could feel a shiver run through his lover's body. "Good thing we didn't unpack yet." He kissed his forehead. "I'll close the curtains so we can go get our luggage and you can get dressed, ok?"

"Okay," Sora whispered, taking position next to the door.

Riku entered and flashes of light exploded from the room, but soon ceased a few moments later.

"Coast is clear."

Sora entered his darkened room and took a breath. "I just hope they'll leave my family alone."

"Don't worry, get dressed," Riku whispered soothingly as he put on his white wife beater top. "I'll make sure of it personally that they leave your parents alone."

Sora put on a clean pair of shorts, his white cargo designer shorts and a sleeveless black top with a hoodie. He searched in his handbag for his large sunglasses, put them on and followed Riku out of his room.

This wasn't the first time, obviously, that this situation had occurred. Although Riku's newly acquired status as a prominent member of DC's jet set had earned him the needless amount of publicity that came along with it, the fuss around him and his 'alternate lifestyle' had quickly died out in a matter of weeks after his first TV-appearance as Nobuhiro Zaibatsu's heir. Sure, there were interviews he had to give now and then and occasional public appearances, but he and Sora had been able to continue on with their lives just fine. At least, the problems they had had in the past few months weren't because of their exposure in the press.

Riku had always valued Sora's ability to withstand the sometimes burning spotlights, but that didn't mean that he would leave him unprotected to prying eyes.

If there was one thing that they valued most as a couple, then it was their privacy. No reporter had ever gotten any question regarding either one's partner answered and so far, no pictures of them in compromising positions had ever been released in the press –not that there weren't any taken, but the Nobuhiro Conglomerate simply had enough power to keep those pictures from ever seeing the light.

So when Sora put his handbag over his shoulder and descended the stairs he knew his family and friends would be safe from the press. He felt bad of course that they now would have to leave his parental house, but he found comfort in knowing that they'd still be able to see each other at the Makoto Mansion and that this small sacrifice was worth it.

He put his handbag on the sofa and walked over to the window to close the blinds.

"We'll have to move the dinner party to the mansion," Sora whispered, peeking through the small shelves of PVC.

"Hey," Riku walked over to him and brushed back a few strands of his damp hair behind an ear. "We're still going to have our romantic weeks here. Nothing has changed."

Sora rose and eyebrow sceptically.

"Apart from the bodyguards then."

"Mum wanted for us to stay here so badly..." Sora then said with a slight pout. "They just had to go and ruin everything."

"As soon as we get at the mansion we'll call her and explain the situation, ange. Don't worry." Riku took him in his arms again and hugged him tightly, breathing in the scent of his hair. "I won't let those picture crazy motherfuckers ruin our stay here."

"This is supposed to be our home!" Sora chimed in, muffled against his chest.

"Yeah, and we won't get chased away because of them." He took off Sora's sunglasses and looked into his blue eyes, now smiling down at him. "You know you mean the world to me, right?"

Sora giggled and nodded. "You mean the world to me too."

Riku took him in his arms again and closed his eyes, pressing a kiss into his neck. This was the best time to tell him what he had heard from Wakka earlier on. "Ange, there's something Wakka said to me earlier that has gotten me worried a little."

Sora frowned from over his shoulder but didn't say anything.

"A local tabloid managed to get an interview with Lanelle, Sora."

Riku could hear Sora gulp.

"How much did she tell?"

"Enough for me to be seen as a double-faced, heartless cheat in your regard," Riku answered in a small voice.

A long breath then escaped the brunet and he held him tighter. "As long as I know what really happened, her side of the story doesn't matter to me and I won't care what anybody says or thinks."

"Sora, but if it causes for you to go through the same amount of humiliation –"

Sora detached himself from him with a reassuring smile. "Haven't you listened to me? I don't care. You're the one I trust, you're the one I love. And what happened between you and her meant nothing." He placed his right hand on Riku's heart. "This is what I'm truly interested in, not in what some bimbo said."

Riku nodded in determination and moved in to brush the tip of their noses together. "Please tell me you're real and that someone up there must've smiled at me when you walked into my life."

"I love you, Riku." Sora said with a small chuckle, taking his face in his hands.

Riku took a deep breath and pressed their foreheads together. "You have no idea how much I love you too, my angel."

They hugged again and then walked over to the sofa to sit on, hand in hand, when the doorbell went off.

"Time to go?" Sora wondered, standing up again with his handbag.

Riku looked through the peephole and nodded at him. "It's Niki and Toni. Come on."

After having grabbed his own handbag from the floor next to the door, Riku gestured for him to approach and handed him his sunglasses. "On three."

As soon as the door opened, a shower of flashing lights fell upon them and they quickly made their way to the big black vehicle that stood in front of the house.

"You sure know how to pick them," Sora commented as they were now standing in front of the immense car, "You sure you're not royalty of some remote country?"

"Just get in the car," Riku chuckled, shaking his head, "I'm but a humble orphan who came back to his roots."

Sora climbed into the car and sat himself down on the soft leather seats, "When have you ever been humble?"

The blond sat himself across from him and shrugged, "It was worth the try."

Sora laughed and turned around to look through the blinded windows at the small crowd of paparazzi that tried to get to a shot of the couple sitting in the car. "Gosh, they're like annoying bugs swarming around your head."

"Too bad we can't just run them over and squash them." Riku growled, eying the flashing bulbs of light with an annoyed stare.

* * *

The inhabitants of Dawn Street did not know what hit them when the impressive jet black Hummer drove into their street. Sure, those who lived there had a higher status among the rest of Destiny Port's population and they recognised wealth when they saw it driving down their avenue so early in the afternoon, but everybody knew everybody around here and no one recognised that car.

"Hey Riku, look! It's Mr Ishisu!" Sora pointed at a man sitting on his porch reading the paper.

Riku grinned as he recognised the old grocery store owner who had always looked after him and Sora when they were but little boys.

"He must be enjoying a well-deserved retirement by now… I'm glad to see he's still around."

Nearly all house doors had opened and curious inhabitants were pouring out of them, anxious to see the owners of the big black car that now drove onto the Masako's driveway. All knew the mansion had been vacant for years ever since the last owner died.

"Oh, this is going to be fun," Sora giggled excitedly turning towards the exit of the car.

Riku rolled his eyes, "This is annoying… or rather, it's going to be."

"Oh come on, Riku…"

"No, I'm being serious," he replied, "Half these people abhorred the idea of you and I being together, did you forget?"

Sora tilted his head to the side and gave him a smile, "They can't do anything to you; you're like super famous. Who cares what they think?"

"I don't worry about that, babe," Riku said, "I was worrying about you."

"Why?" the younger male questioned, shrugging.

"I haven't forgotten how they treated us when we came back from DC after that car accident you had."

"Baby, that was 4 years ago," Sora said, "I've moved past that now. I won't care about them if they're still the happy stuck up bunch from before."

The car's door opened.

"And anyways, why worry? I'm with you."

Sora winked back at him and moved towards the exit, his right hand on the doors' handle.

Riku followed him out of the car and into the welcoming sun.

"This way, sir. Hurry."

A crowd of onlookers had begun to form itself around the car, but none could see whom it was the bodyguards were escorting inside the white mansion.

The large entry doors swung open and Sora and Riku where quickly ushered into the breathtaking entrance hall by their guards before the doors got closed and locked again.

Sora looked around himself in awe as he remembered how beautiful Riku's old house had always been; from the snow white marble floor to the crystal chandelier and the twin set of stairs that led up to the rooms upstairs.

"We'll have the household staff take care of your luggage, sir," the big black man named Toni said to Riku.

"Ok, that's good," Riku replied with a thankful smile.

"It is important you stay inside, sir, until we've finished putting a security parameter around the house," the bodyguard added.

"Alright."

Sora looked away from his surroundings and smiled softly at the intimidating, long haired, blonde bodyguard standing behind him. _What was his name again…? Oh right… Niki_. He averted his gaze and then faced the other man standing in front of him. "Toni? How long will that take?"

The large, bulky man gave him an unknowing expression. "I'm sorry, Sora. Perhaps 2 to 3 hours?"

Riku gave Sora an apologizing look, knowing how much his boyfriend had wanted to go explore his hometown.

"Well," Sora sighed, "guess it can't be helped." He smiled at Toni. "Thanks for getting us here."

"Always a pleasure," the man nodded. "We asked the household staff to prepare the rooms on the second floor for your stay. We've taken over the apartments on the first floor for better security."

Sora chuckled and turned to Riku. "Household staff? Like maids and butlers and stuff? You guys turned this place into a hotel!"

"Does it pose a problem?" Toni interjected. "Mister Nobuhiro preferred the thought of his heir having around the clock service.

Riku grinned and looked at Sora. "I like it."

"Gee, what a surprise!" Sora threw back at him with a smile. He then rolled his eyes and smirked. "So you said second floor, Toni?"

"Yeah, the second."

"Okay," Sora turned to the stairs. "Left or right? I wouldn't want to lose myself here. I remember how huge this place used to be."

Riku chuckled and turned to the muscled blonde man that stood right from him. "Could you go with him?"

The man nodded sternly and preceded Sora up the stairs. The young brunette gave his boyfriend a wondering look and whispered very softly; "He looks constipated."

"Just go, I'll be there in a minute," Riku smirked, waving him away.

Sora smirked back and followed his bodyguard up the right set of stairs.

* * *

Rapid synthesized beats were booming though the large club. Flashlights and laser projections illuminated the dancing crowd and artificial smoke added to the creation of the transparent illusions.

The DJ made one track magically flow into another, creating a heavy bass beat stream of dance music.

With his bottle of Red Bull firmly clasped in one hand and Riku's in his other, Sora lead him through the sea of people on the dance floor and up the stairs towards the VIP lodges Riku's entourage had readily prepared for his arrival in club 'Oblivion'.

The sun had begun to set already by the time they had been fully settled into their private suite at the mansion; it had taken them nearly all afternoon to unpack— that is, if you ignore the little game of 'tag' they played in their immense bathroom a few hours ago and the fact that Riku had needed a shower after that, which then, somehow, had resulted in him and Sora blowing bubbles while taking a bath…

They soon spotted a familiar couple in the lounge with whom they had set up to meet.

"Where are Kairi and Wakka?" Sora loudly asked in Cloud's ear now that they were seated next to each other on the big red couch of their lodge.

Cloud made a movement wit his hand, making Sora understand that they went out for air.

"How was your flight?" Leon asked, offering Riku a glass of iced martini from their private cocktail tray.

"It went well," Riku answered and took a sip from his drink. "How was your voyage? I heard you came all the way from Dusk?"

Leon nodded. "The autumn/winter collection of Von Aglio Men."

"Ah yea, I remember now," Riku said with a smile. "Sora told me you became their new face."

The tall brunet nodded and smirked. "Your face is one that isn't unknown to the media either, eh?"

Riku chuckled and placed his drink down. "Ugh, don't remind me. I came here to find peace from all that crap."

"Hey!" Sora suddenly exclaimed. "That's Tidus! Over there!" He pointed in the direction of the blond that was dancing closely with a brunette near the reeling of the first storey a few meters further. Sora raised his bottle to him as their gazes met and Tidus waved back enthusiastically before he gestured him that they'd catch up later. He then turned his attention back on the girl he was with.

"Still the incorrigible player," Sora smirked as he sat back.

"He'll be the next one to get married and settle down, you'll see," Riku whispered in his ear.

Sora turned to him with a disbelieving smirk and shook his head. "We'd be more likely to get married than him."

Riku laid his arm around his waist and pulled him closer to press a kiss on Sora's left temple. "Don't make it sound like that's never going to happen."

"I thought we talked about this…" Sora gave him a soft reprimanding look. "Riku…"

"I just would like for us to still have that option, even if you feel that we don't need to get married…Call me a big softie, but…" He fell silent and rubbed the tip of their noses together.

Sora rolled his eyes and smiled. "You really are in a romantic mood lately. What kind of a bee stung you?"

"The lovesick one," he replied. "It woke me up in time to realise that I want to be with you always. No matter what people around us say."

Sora scooted away from him a little and nervously chuckled. "Yeah, but baby, getting married— that's straight people stuff," he said in a disdainful manner.

"And what's wrong with being straight?"

They both looked up and Kairi stood there, wearing a short, layered, white lace skirt and a white see through lace halter top with a matching white bikini top underneath. On her feet she wore cute, high heeled, golden sandals. She wore her hair, which had been extended to the small of her back and straightened, down and golden earrings adorned her ears.

"In that outfit?" Riku whispered with a played vacant look on his features. "Making gay people wish they were straight…" he then laughed as he received an elbow blow from Sora.

She switched her weight on her left foot and laughed. "Did you guys get here long ago?"

"No," Sora answered. He then looked at her outfit again and shook his head. "Geez, you seem to be treating Wakka very nicely seen as how nearly non-existent your outfit is."

Kairi laughed again, "It's all part of the plan."

"What plan?"

"The big plan."

"The big plan," Sora echoed.

She nodded, "Yup."

Sora gave her a suspicious look and then crossed his arms over his chest. "I recognise that glow," he said as he watched her throw her hair back. "You've been humping, haven't you?"

"Is that the only thing you gay people have on your mind?" She retorted with a chuckle, sitting herself next to Riku who sat back when Sora leant towards her from his other side.

"Maybe, but you're not denying, are you?" Sora said.

Kairi only shrugged and sat back, smiling an incontestably satisfied smile.

"You sleaze…" Sora said with an evil smirk.

"You queer…" She retorted, sticking out her tongue.

"Hussy!"

"Pussy!"

"Girls, girls… there's enough Riku for everyone!" Riku said, keeping the two friends at a safe distance from each other.

"Are you trying to get her to cheat on Wakka, you jerk?" Sora then asked Riku threateningly with his hands on his hips.

"Did you just call my Sora a girl?" Kairi wondered with a confused look on her face. "How sick _are_ you?!"

Riku blinked and looked at both of their menacing faces. "But— I was only trying to—"

"GET HIM!"

The next thing Riku knew was that Sora was sitting on top of him on the couch and that Kairi was sitting cross-legged next to his head, shooting murderous glances his way.

"Oh man. Riku, what did these crazy honeys do to you?"

Wakka was walking up the stairs to the lodge with two bottles of Bacardi Breezer in his hands.

"You have to get me out of here, bro! They've totally lost it, both of them." Riku said with a grin. "Especially this one," he pointed at Sora. "I think it's broke or something."

"Asshole," Sora soundlessly said before demounting him and sitting next to him again.

"We thought you were going to sit this one out. We've been waiting for quite a while," Wakka said, sitting down on the spot Kairi had occupied a few moments before. She now sat down on his lap.

"Security measures, man…" Riku apologetically said, shrugging innocently.

"So what's the big plan?" Sora asked, leaning with his elbows on Riku's lap and looking at the other couple expectantly.

"Plan?" Wakka whispered with a slight frown.

The young brunet sat up and laid his arms around Riku to lean against him. "The reason why Kairi is glowing like a match stick over there."

Kairi and Wakka exchanged a meaningful look before turning to their friends again.

Wakka took her right hand and kissed its palm lovingly. "Go ahead, tell them."

"Okay, but eh…" Kairi whispered, looking around. "I want Cloud to be here to listen to this too, where is he?"

"I saw them on the dance floor earlier," Riku said. "I'll go get them."

Once all of them were re-united Kairi took a breath and stood up from her seat in Wakka lap so she could face all of them. "Ok. So eh, well… I'm just going to say it directly. You guys, I'm pregnant."

"No. Way…" Sora whispered, his mouth falling open in shock. "Kairi…I—"

"Wow…!" Cloud chuckled, standing. "Are you sure?"

"I received the long awaited phone call from the doctor this afternoon," Kairi whispered, nodding and bursting into laughter as her brother took her in his arms.

Riku began to clap in his hands and everyone chimed in. "Congratulations!" he wrapped an amicable arm around Wakka's shoulders. "Wakka is going to be a daddy!"

"It's the end of the world!" Sora loudly said with a chuckle, standing up to hug his friend. "Oh my God, Kairi… this is a miracle!"

She nodded and wiped away a few tears that had found their way out of her eyes. "It really is…" she whispered over his shoulder. "We had almost given up hope."

"You're going to be mama Kairi!" Sora giggled.

"This calls for a toast!" Leon said standing in turn and raising his glass while the others followed suit. He took Cloud by his hand and held him close to him while they held their glass up to Kairi and Wakka.

"To this couple," he began, "that has been through so much and has found profound happiness." He then looked at Cloud who smiled back at him and took over.

"May the come of the new baby only reinforce their love and fill their life with joy and more pleasures. To Kairi and Wakka!"

"To Kairi and Wakka!"

They all applauded and congratulated the couple further while the night proceeded and they all found a new reason to celebrate.

"So, I was thinking."

Kairi sat herself down in the lodge after she and Riku had returned from the dance floor. "Can a child have two god fathers?"

Sora grinned and wrapped his arms around Riku's neck while he moved his hips to the smooth R&B tune that was playing. "I don't think it can hurt."

"I think it can only work in the child's favour," Riku added, grinning himself now as he locked eyes with Sora.

"Yeah! Yeah!" Sora chimed in, turning to look at her now. "Presents wise, that is."

Kairi laughed and placed a hand on her forehead. "Okay, okay you've plead your case. So what do you guys say?"

"Wait," Sora let go of Riku and gave him an over-surprised look. "You want _us_ to be…?" he asked, turning to look at her now. "Oh Kairi, we never saw it coming!"

Riku laughed along with the others and held his boyfriend close again. "Yeah, you see, you really need acting lessons babe." He rested his smiling gaze on Wakka and Kairi, "We'd be honoured to be your baby's godfathers, you guys."

"Thanks, man," Wakka stood up from his spot next to Kairi and exchanged a handshake with Riku. "We appreciate."

"Okidokie! This calls for more drinks!" Sora called, letting go of Riku and stepping out of the lodge.

"Where is he going?" Kairi whispered with a frown, "We have our drinks right here."

"What's wrong with Sora?" Cloud wondered, having just walked back into the lodge again.

Riku sighed silently and began to walk into the direction he had seen Sora go off to.

He had an idea of what was wrong; he didn't even blame his friends for not noticing that Sora had been acting pretty strange all evening long.

"Come with me."

Sora followed Riku into the lobby and sat down on the black couch in the middle of the cool room.

"I'm sorry."

Sora sighed and shook his head. "No, Riku. I'm the one who should apologise."

"If I had known that bringing up the big 'M' word would put you off guard that much, I wouldn't have brought it up." Riku took him in his arms and kissed the crown of his head.

"You've been so wonderful and attentive and I just had to go and be like this…"

Riku shushed him and caressed his hair soothingly. "I understand…"

"I'm trying real hard," Sora whispered, closing his eyes as he held on to him tightly. "Trying real hard to be happy for her right now, but… God, I hate myself for this…"

Riku looked at him from the corners of his eyes before closing them and looking away in silent disappointment. "A part of you still wishes that she—"

"Please don't say it!" Sora said in a miniscule voice. "I thought that if she couldn't— that I would be fine because then she wouldn't have something that I can't have… What kind of a friend am I?!"

"A very good one, babe," Riku whispered in his ear, smiling soothingly at his soft sob. "You know that we can have what they have too…"

Sora fell silent after that. He wanted children, so much. It has been one of his deepest desires and somehow the next logical step in his relationship with Riku. And as he looked into his calm, clear aqua eyes, he knew that nothing would stand in the way of achieving that dream.

"There are plenty possibilities…" Riku whispered against his lips, "And there's plenty of time…"

"What on earth would I do," Sora whimpered, closing his eyes, "if you weren't there to get rid of my insecurities?"

"I love you, ange…" Riku murmured, taking him in another embrace. "I truly, truly do…"

A small frown formed on the older male's face as he held Sora close. He now wondered if there was another reason why Sora did not want to get married… He had noticed how their conversation had once again deviated from that topic. Beside the arguments Sora gave while laughing nervously, Riku believed that there was something else that restrained him from even considering the idea.

Or maybe it had all been badly timed out…?

He wouldn't question the love Sora had for him, after all marriage was but a symbolic ritual… it didn't prove someone loved the one they married.

Riku sighed and re-enforced his embrace, closing his eyes to keep his own insecurities from bubbling up from the depths of his mind.

_

* * *

_

**_Well, there you have it…? Some of you will probably go 'WTF' again, seen as how this is but a filler chapter. Sorry for those of you out there who actually waited for this new chapter to come out, but lately I have been feeling discouraged in writing for this fandom, fearing that maybe my work here isn't appealing anymore… _**

**_I rarely ask for reviews, but people come on, we all know it's what authors feed upon. And honestly said, I'm tired of the hunger pain. _**

**_I'll try and continue to update this story as much and as fast as I can so I can finish it quickly to move on to maybe better things. _**

**_As for the other KH stories that are still in process, well… I'm not planning on making any promises yet, it could be that I decide to give them away to other willing authors or just throw them off my 'to do'-list. _**

**_Bet you've never seen me this gloomy eh? Ah well… we'll see how things will be next time, maybe then I'll know if I'm wasting our time or not. _**

_ToBeContinued… _

**_-BDP- _**


	5. Fall and Rise

_

* * *

FIVE: Fall and Rise

* * *

_

The sound of screeching seagulls in the distance carried over through the opened balcony windows, gently waking the half covered body in the large white bed.

Sora sighed and blinked his eyes open, taking in his nearly naked state and realising with growing regret how sore he was.

Again.

With a low grunt and a moan, he greeted the newly born day.

"Goodmorning, sunshine."

Sora grumbled something back and turned around in his bed, seeing Riku standing outside in nothing but Japanese style Hakama, basking in the sunlight while practising his kata's. "You look so sexy doing that…"

Riku cracked a smile while concentrating on his breathing.

Sora sat up and held on to his head, silently continuing to observe him even though he felt very nauseous and slightly feverish. He did not remember much of the past night, only that after he and Riku had had their little conversation in the lobby they decided to call it a night and return to the mansion. He wouldn't even ask what must've happened once they got home; the throbbing in his lower back gave enough explanation.

Sora dropped the white covers he had used to cover himself with and wobbled onto his legs, revealing an impish smile as he felt Riku's eyes on his naked body while he awkwardly made his way to their bathroom. "Don't forget to breathe!"

Riku smirked and shook his head. "Why you…!"

The first few drops of lukewarm water hit his forehead and Sora sighed, feeling the effects of whatever it was he had been drinking last night slowly dissipate itself. He reached for his bottle of cinnamon shower oil and a soft sponge, letting his mind drifting towards the words Riku had expressed the night before.

He had talked about marriage again… Oh, he had noticed it alright. He had simply chosen to ignore it. He didn't understand why Riku went on and on about it, he had made himself clear, hadn't he? Was there a marital virus going around, making everyone want to get married all of a sudden?

He sighed again and began to pour the oil onto the sponge so he could begin to latter himself with the now foamy substance.

Stepping into the jet of water again, he closed his eyes and brought his hands up to his face, covering himself with them. "I just don't feel ready…" Sora concluded to himself. It was true; Riku and he got back together but two weeks ago, he still felt like they needed to take things slow. For so long had he built walls around him to protect himself from the hurt Riku had put him through and though most of them had been broken down, there were still a few standing.

It wasn't that he didn't love him anymore, but he was still afraid of getting hurt. He wanted nothing more than to get close to him and have that same bond that they had before, but now he also needed to have that feeling of freedom in the back of his mind just in case things went awry again.

And marriage would take that freedom away in an instant.

Sora turned off the water and leant with his forehead against the tiled wall in front of him. "I'm not ready."

Riku, who had left the balcony, was now silently watching him from his position in the doorway.

Last night, after they got home from the club, he and Sora had had a little party of their own, to celebrate their new project of having children. Sora had gotten drunk and a little emotional from the party they had had with Kairi and the news of her pregnancy. And somehow, they had ended up having wild and passionate sex until the little hours of the morning.

Now though, he couldn't dismiss the fact that something was up with Sora. He wished he could just talk to him about it, but knowing that there is a problem, doesn't make it easier. Each time he tried to bring it up, Sora would avoid it or become overly touchy. And so, Riku did the only thing he knew he could do; give him the time. Yet now, he would build up the courage to bring it up and confront him to it. He was worried.

Sora turned his head to the side and saw Riku walk in, skin shining softly with a thin layer of sweat. "Sorry, I just finished…"

Riku only gave him a seductive smirk and began to loosen his hakama, making sure that Sora kept his eyes on him as he stepped out of them and threw them to the side. "So? There's room for two or more in there."

Sora chuckled and took a step back as Riku slid the glass shower door open and stepped in. "Do tell me what it is you actually did to me? I'm sore all over."

The blond laughed and placed his hands on his lover's hips, pulling him closer. "What I did to you? See, there's misunderstanding nr 1; _you_ jumped on _me_ last night."

"Eh?" Sora exclaimed, pulling his head back to give him a baffled look. "I did no such—"

" 'God, I can't wait to feel you inside of me, baby… I feel so hot it's like my body's on fire…' "

"I—" Sora blinked, "Hey! Don't do that, it's embarrassing!"

Riku chuckled, "Just laying down the facts…" He then showed him a bite mark near his left nipple. "And that actually hurt."

Sora laughed and placed a hand on the small wound. "I was drunk…"

"I know," Riku whispered back, "and if it weren't for you tying me down on the bed, I wouldn't have taken advantage of it."

At that Sora raised a sceptic eyebrow. "Now I know that just can't be the truth; you can easily overpower me."

"Damn."

The brunet giggled and pressed their lips together. "It's okay, though, I know I'm hard to resist at times."

"Yeah, poor me…" Riku smiled as he kissed him again.

"Gah… you're making me all dirty again…" Sora giggled in between kisses, "And you smell really bad!"

"How about you rubbing me clean then eh?" Riku grinned and made him turn around against the wall.

"I just told you that I'm sore all over…" Sora protested softly, leaning against the wall with a hand while his eyes fluttered shut at the hands that crept around his hips towards his pelvis. A slithering tongue played against his left earlobe and he moaned, joining the hand that took hold of his awakening erection.

"I don't need to be inside of you…" Riku murmured, "I just need you to feel me… like this, against you…"

"A-Aah…!" Sora breathed, throwing his head back now, feeling how Riku pressed himself up against his back and between his buttocks. "R-Riku…"

"You like it…?"

His head was spinning and his heart was racing in his chest. He couldn't come up with a single coherent phrase as the pleasure coursed through him and right into the apex of his thighs where their joined hands rubbed over his throbbing member. "Mmh…!"

Riku chuckled softly and turned on the water with his right hand, that automatically set itself on lukewarm again. "And now? Are you cooled off enough to answer me, sexy babe?" He gave a few strong jerks and Sora screamed it out again, his trembling breathing echoing against the wet walls.

A loving kiss was pressed against the brunet's left shoulder and Sora turned his head to his, locking their eyes together. Riku fell silent as he watched those crystal-like depths of blue, losing himself into their enchanting beauty.

Sora blushed at his lover intense staring and smiled softly. "Riku…"

The older male hushed him with a deep kiss, and turned him around so he faced him, absorbing any form of protest with his longing lips and tongue. "Riku…" Sora then breathlessly whispered with his eyes closed and in between fervent kisses. "Baby…"

Riku kissed him longingly and then focused his gaze on him questioningly. "You want us to stop?"

Sora smirked at him and brushed a lock of his wet platinum hair behind an ear. "What?" He looked down in between them and raised a questioning eyebrow. "Now?"

Riku chuckled and moved into him for a new kiss while their bodies rubbed against each other. "How about doing it like this…?"

"Y-Yes…a-aah…" Sora breathed, arching his neck at the pleasurable friction generated between them. He grabbed hold of his lover's rear and gave a good squeeze, making Riku give a startled chuckle. "Good…?"

"Very…" Riku grinned back, rolling his hips against his again before moving in for another brush of lips.

Not much later, mingled cries of passion were heard through the large bathroom while the waves of sounds coming from the ocean in the distance flowed inside their bedroom through the opened windows.

* * *

"Hey Riku…?"

They were now lying on their king-size bed, Sora contemplating the pale blue sky through the waving, transparent under curtains while Riku ran the tip of his index the long his spine behind him.

"Yes?" He answered, scooting his naked body closer.

The brunet sighed and closed his eyes, placing a hand on the one that caressed his right hip absently. "About last night…"

Riku stopped in his movements for a second and frowned in silent wonder. "What is it?"

Sora turned around and locked eyes with his lover, gently placing his hand against his handsome features. "There's something I've wanted to ask, but I just couldn't seem to find the proper words and timing…"

Riku smiled reassuringly and rubbed the tip of their noses together affectionately. "You know you can tell me anything, Ange."

The younger male nodded and smiled. "I know…"

"What is it?" Riku asked again.

Sora took a breath, "Why do you feel like we need to get married?"

Riku fell silent for a couple moments, having been caught off guard with that question. He hadn't expected it for Sora to be the one to bring that topic up, or at least, not this soon.

Did this mean he felt ready?

With a smile, Riku brushed a strand of his sandy brown mane back and let his fingertips caress the contours of his face, admiring the slight tan Sora's skin had already gotten. He decided that he had unconsciously missed that darker skin colour on him, loving how it stood out against his light hair colour and brilliant set of blues.

Way back then he was and today he still is the most beautiful person he has ever laid his eyes upon.

Instincts simply told him that he was the one; his heart eagerly agreed to this and his mind had no choice but to concur.

"Remember when we were kids?" Riku asked, "That day on the play island when we played 'House' with Selphie and Kairi."

Sora needed time to remember it all again, but eventually nodded with a small uncertain frown. "That must've been over a decade ago."

Riku chuckled and nodded, "I was 10, and you were 9." He watched him smile as he reminisced and continued," Kairi wanted for her and me to get married, to pretend to have a wedding."

"You flatly refused," Sora giggled.

"Yeah," he looked at him now, "but you eagerly volunteered to be her husband."

Sora averted his eyes but kept smiling nonetheless. "I had to do something to console her; you left her at the altar."

The blond laughed, "Oh really? I'm sure Wakka wouldn't have minded taking over."

Sora pouted, "Where are you getting at, oh wise storyteller?"

"You once used to harbour that wish inside of you; to one day get married," Riku said, "you once wanted to. What happened, Sora?" he reached out to touch his face again, expressing his confusion, "What made you change your mind like this? So suddenly?"

A sigh escaped Sora and he turned away from his touch, staring at the sky again. "I thought you knew…You're the reason, Riku."

Although he had dreaded that answer, Riku was still surprised by it. He had been right to consider the damage their last break-up caused into his calculations and now realised more than ever that he had to do whatever he could to restore more of the trust Sora had lost.

Now that Sora had confessed his feelings and thoughts, it made it easier for him to accept the possibility that he perhaps chose to protect his rears just in case their new found bond didn't last and so he could find his way out of it easily and without heavy damage.

"I never imagined we'd come to the point where even you don't see enough hope for our shared future…" Riku quietly spoke, making no apparent effort to hide his sadness.

"No," Sora cast his eyes down and sighed softly, "that's not it—"

"Tell me," Riku whispered, bringing his face close to his again, "is there any sense to all of this? Do you still want it?"

The brunet's eyes shot up to him again and he took his face in his hands. "Yes!" he relentlessly said, "Yes, I do Riku… I still want you and I still love you, but you mustn't forget that you and I are still healing and that before my feelings of insecurity are gone, I can't imagine myself marrying you. I'm not ready." He sniffled and bit his lower lip as he could feel it begin to tremble from his held back tears. "Not yet, Riku."

Taken over by an immense feeling of relief, Riku crawled on top of him and held him close, resting his right cheek on top of his lover's chest. "Oh Sora…"

Sora wrapped his arms around him as well, smiling weakly as one tear found his way down his left cheek. "Don't give up on me, baby…" He shakily whispered, sniffling and kissing the top of Riku's platinum mane. "I need you more than ever now…"

Riku lifted his head up and they locked eyes. "You'll always have me," he said, intertwining his right hand fingers with his left hand ones. "I told you once that you and me—"

"—it's for ever," Sora finished, more tears rolling out of his eyes as he chuckled happily.

"Yeah…" Riku whispered, lowering his lips on his to kiss them cherishingly.

Sora giggled into the kiss and returned it softly, pulling him to him ardently, needing to feel him very close. He wanted to believe in those sweet words again, to feel their meaning sink deep into his heart and drown his imagination with the most vivid dreams of joy and pleasure. He needed for Riku to put that magic on him again and make him fall hard and deep into him, to bring back the childlike innocence that he had lost and to guide him back on the road they once walked together, hand in hand.

"I want to feel it again…" he gasped in between kisses and enticing movements underneath the sheets. Smooth lips caressed their way down his throat and he arched his back, his legs slowly beginning to grow apart with the increasing friction their bodies shared. "Make me feel like before… please… Riku…"

Not wasting more time with foreplay, Riku moved himself on his knees and pulled Sora's hips to his, watching with a hungry eye how the brunet slid over the sheets as he did so and how his lean and erotic frame shivered from the anticipation. He impaled him with one thrust, mingling his grunt with Sora's surprised yelp.

**_(Riku/Sora lovers, please check my bio for the complete version of this lemony part)_**

It was only when Riku fell on top of him all sweaty and sticky and utterly spent, that he managed to turn his head to the side to look at his dampened features and to realise that he wouldn't want anyone else to make him feel the way he felt now, because no one compared.

Absolutely no one.

Sora felt like he had been freed from the weight that had been laid on his shoulders. Maybe he would soon feel ready to give himself to him again completely, perhaps he would find that trust in Riku again and then, if things went the right way… there'd be another wedding in the making.

* * *

Long rows of sparkling, glittering and dashing dresses were displayed in the storage of the store.

With eyes nearly watering from the excitement, the young woman walked through them, letting the tip of her fingers go ever so carefully over the precious fabrics, the meticulously pearl beaded flower patterns and other fine materials from which all the dresses were made of.

"I feel like a kid in a candy store…" Kairi whispered as Sora and her followed Selphie to the back of the storage.

"They've kept the dress in stock just for you, Kai," the brunette said with a happy smile, "Heaven knows I've had to fight to keep it here, but I just remembered how much you wanted it the first time you laid your eyes on it."

Kairi and Sora shared an enthusiastic look and the redhead took a step closer as her friend halted near the end of the 3rd row and carefully reached for a neatly wrapped dress from the rack.

"Whoa…" Sora whispered in awe as they got to see the said dress. "It's so beautiful…"

Kairi laughed and brought her hand up to her mouth from the emotions that coursed through her. "Selphie… We saw this dress 6 months ago, how did you ever manage to… oh…" She reached towards the gown and sniffled before embracing her friend.

"Well you know Naminé, right?" Selphie said, letting go of her, "Her aunt owns this place and she got her so far to agree and keep this dress here until _you_ would come and get it."

"I can't believe this…" Kairi whispered, wiping away a few tears, "Why didn't you tell me so before! I was panicking when I couldn't find it anywhere! You knew I was searching for it!"

"Look at it as my gift to you, Kai," Selphie whispered with a giggle as they embraced each other again.

"I could never…!" the redhead whimpered, holding her tightly and kissing her on her left cheek. "Oh my God!"

"Why don't you try it on, Kai?" Sora whispered with a smile of his own, "Let us see how gorgeous you'll look in it!"

Selphie nodded agreeingly and grabbed her by her left arm, "The fitting room is this way!"

Fifteen minutes later, Kairi emerged from the changing room and walked into the mirror chamber in which both Selphie and Sora were waiting.

Like an apparition taken straight out of a romantic fairytale, she stepped onto the small stage in the middle of the room, beaming with happiness in her wedding dress.

"Wakka is the luckiest man on the planet…" Sora said, watching how she blushed cutely and looked down at herself.

Selphie nodded and stood from her chair to help her drag the chapel train onto the platform behind her. "You're so beautiful, Kai…"

The dress, a strapless one, was entirely made out of an ivory coloured satin. A soft pleated chiffon band was featured around the neckline and extended into two flowing tails at the back which, in turn, layered over the chapel train. The bodice was decorated with pearl and bugle beading trailing down to hip level and accented at the tail ends of the train.

"This is the dress I've dreamt of since I was a little girl…" she whispered with an emotive tone of voice, "This is the dress I'm going to get married in."

After they checked the dress in detail for eventual flaws, Kairi changed back into her regular clothes and put the dress back into the storage for safekeeping once they paid for it.

"Alrightie then," Selphie said now that they were outside the bridal store, "some of us still have to go to that evil place where they keep pay cheques." She embraced both Sora and Kairi and quickly stepped to her car, "Call me later, okay? And oh! Sora, how long are you guys staying?"

"Riku got two months and a half off from work, so we'll be here that long," Sora answered with a grin. "Hey, will we see you at the dinner party tonight?"

"Oh… that's tonight?" she said with an apologising smile while opening her driver's door, "I have a date tonight."

"Oooh… with Irvine again?" Kairi teasingly said.

Sora threw her a confused look, "Who's Irvine?"

"Yes, with Irvine!" Selphie replied back with a defensive expression on her face, "I like him and he likes me, so I hope we'll get a step further tonight, so there."

"I'm sensing a tinge of sexual frustration…" Kairi whispered with an innocent grin.

Sora smirked, "He isn't giving you any?"

Selphie sighed and grunted, "I have no idea what is holding him back, but man, a woman got needs too!"

"He'll do it when he feels the time is right, Fee. Give him the time, you said you liked him and that he likes you too," Kairi took out her portable and chuckled, "so just give him the time."

"Yeah," she whispered with a shrug, "we'll see how it'll go tonight."

"Good luck!" Sora wished her as she got into her car.

"Say hi to Riku for me!" she called back and started the engine.

"Ciao bella!" Kairi said with a wave of her free hand and they both watched how Selphie drove away.

"What is it again that she does?" Sora then asked as they were headed towards Kairi's black Land Rover Sport a few meters further.

"She's a PA for a wealthy, local business manager."

Sora winced, "Oh… she just sacrificed her lunch then, didn't she?"

Kairi smiled gently and brought her cell phone to her ear after she had dialled. "Yes, I would like to order a Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki sandwich and a large diet coke under the name of Selphie Tilmitt? Yes, could you please bring it to 89 Balamb Avenue, 27th floor? Alright, thank you." She hung up and gave her friend a wink. "I love her dearly but she needs to eat. I refuse to be the only one getting fat in the upcoming months."

Sora laughed heartedly at that and stepped into the car with her.

As they drove out of the parking lot, neither of them noticed the mysterious black Mercedes following them onto the boulevard.

* * *

The set of keys fell on the kitchen counter after he tossed them on it, walking his way into his darkened apartment.

The rain was bucketing down outside and flashes of lightening made frightening shadows appear on the walls.

With a soft grunt he rubbed over the nape of his neck in the hope of loosening the tense muscles there. He had just driven 4 hours non stop all the way from Crystle to visit his father and he was dead tired now that he finally arrived home, longing for nothing else than the softness of his pillows and mattress.

Roxas didn't even bother to turn on the lights and went straight up his set of stairs and into his room. Once arrived there, he turned on the lights and began stripping down to his boxers as he made his way towards his small bathroom.

Emerging from it after having brushed his teeth, he turned off the lights again and moved to his bed, longing for nothing else than a good night of sleep. However, he noticed, when he looked up, that someone was already sitting on the other side of it, facing away from him.

The lightening then suddenly illuminated a spiky mane of red hair and Roxas took a step back, having recognised the person it belonged to.

The figure slowly began to stand and turned around fully, the sound of moving leather whispering in the air as he walked, drops of water hitting the carpeted floor.

"Don't move. Don't even say anything."

Roxas blinked a few times, taken completely by surprise for a few moments before taking a protesting step forwards. "The fuck are you—"

"No!"

The redhead launched himself to him and dragged him with him onto the floor, just as a deafening sound drummed through the room from the outside and a blinding white beam of light shone straight into the bedroom. It lingered for a few moments and then moved away, letting darkness take over once more.

The hand that had been pressed against his mouth loosened its grip and Roxas squirmed away from his unwanted guest with an angry scowl on his face. "Don't fucking tell me you escaped, Axel!"

"I missed you too," Axel replied sarcastically, dusting off his clothes while sitting himself on the end of the bed.

Roxas grunted and grabbed his pair of jeans that still lay where he had thrown them earlier on the floor, putting them on hastily. "How did you ever manage to find me anyway?!" he whispered, easing a clean shirt over his head before pointing at the window angrily, "And what the _hell_ was that?!"

Axel chuckled quietly and cast a brief look at the darkened window. "A little bird told me you'd be here. And as for _that_, I don't think it needs to be explained."

"Okay, enough!" Roxas exclaimed, bringing his hands up to his ears, "Get out! Get out right now!"

Axel now stood in his full length and took a step towards him. "I need you to listen to me, Roxas!"

"Did you escape?" The smaller blond asked suspiciously, anger still clearly present in his voice, "'Cuz for as far as I can remember, you still had a long way to go before you were to get out!"

"Ok, that's it," the other male now grabbed him by his shirt and pushed him against a nearby wall. "I need you to listen to me, pumpkin," he whispered against his lips, "there's a very, very bad man out there who's after your ass and I just saved it."

Roxas fell silent at that, eying his former lover with a sceptic stare. "And let me guess, a little fairy told you that this time?"

"Roxas!" Axel growled from between his teeth, needing for him to be serious about what he was telling him. "I'm not joking around with this one! You have to tell me where Masako and his boyfriend went!"

One blond eyebrow rose at that and Roxas pushed Axel off of him. "You're not exactly allowed to know about their whereabouts, you know," he whispered back viciously, "They're far away from you, in any case."

Axel smirked and chuckled sarcastically, walking up to him once more. "Look, you're pissed, I get that. I broke your little heart, fine. But, please, don't go all mister hypocrite on me!"

"A hypocrite?" Roxas jeeringly echoed, crossing his arms over his chest, "Right."

"You seem to care about your little high-class friends now, while two winters ago, you knew about that night on the parking lot, you knew what I had been assigned to do and you fucking stabbed me in the back!"

Roxas still fixed him defiantly, not saying a word.

"The only reason I chose not to say anything was because I…" Axel fell silent as he realised what he was about to say and then shook his head. "But it doesn't matter now, does it?"

Without any sign of emotion on his face, Roxas walked over to the door of his room and opened it. "I want you out of my house."

"Roxas," Axel's tone was now pleading, "You betrayed _him_ too. He's after you now; you have to put yourself to safety."

The blonde's eyes widened themselves at that and he took a step away from the door and turned to him with an accusing finger, "Because YOU led him here, Axel!"

Axel took a calming breath, "Where are Masako and his boyfriend?"

Roxas chuckled humourlessly and let his head fall back as a dark realisation dawned upon him. "He already knows."

Axel took him by his arms and shook him slightly. "What?!" he cried, "Roxas, you told him?"

Roxas rested his saddened sapphire blues on his emerald ones and sighed, looking away again. "I didn't have to… And apparently you don't know about Riku's recent promotion." He took Axel's silence as a confirming sign and looked at him again, "Riku is going to inherit Nobuhiro's Conglomerate as soon as the old man dies… He's followed by the media almost 24/7."

"Roxas!" Axel now had an alarming look on his face, "where?!"

Tears rolled down the younger one's cheeks and he was just about to speak when they heard that distinct sound again, one of a chopper flying right above the bedroom window.

Not wasting another second, Axel grabbed hold of Roxas and they jumped out of the door right when can got thrown through the window glass and began to diffuse a thick gas.

"Axel," Roxas whispered now that they were climbing through the kitchen window to access the fire escape that gave out onto a narrow back alley on the left side of the apartment building.

Axel shut the window behind them and took him by his hand, leading him down the set of stairs from the 5th floor. "I really don't want to hear it right now, Roxas."

"It's too late, and you know it. He probably has his men searching for both of them," Roxas loudly said behind him, trying the overcome the rumbling thunder above them, "He will find us and he'll kill Riku and Sora for locking him up."

"As long as I can keep you safe, I don't really care," the redhead replied.

Roxas gasped at that, "Axel…!"

"But I'm not stupid," he continued. "Now that I told you about what I know, the moment I have you somewhere safe, you'll try and save your friends, right?" He grinned after having cast him a look, "So, in order to have you really saved, I need to help you help them."

"Why?" Roxas breathed now that they had arrived in front of a black car a few streets further, thick drops of water showering over him. "I've done nothing to deserve what you're doing."

Axel turned to him and they stood there in the rain for a few moments when he suddenly bent over and took his face in his hands, kissing him longingly on his lips. "Take that as my reason," he then whispered before letting go of him and running over to the other side of the car to sit himself behind the driver's seat.

Roxas stood as if paralysed, with his wet right hand finger tips running over his kissed lips. "You…?"

"Stop standing there all petrified because of one kiss!" Axel yelled at him from inside the car, opening the passenger seat's door, "We have no time, so get your ass inside!"

Shaking his head and regaining his composure, Roxas quickly jumped into the car, which soon drove off into the obscure and pluvial night.

* * *

"I was wondering where you had gone off to…"

Sora approached Riku standing on one of the balconies of the second floor of the Mansion. "Everyone is waiting for you. Leon and Cloud are already here."

"I've always dreaded to come back here," Riku whispered, smiling as he felt the small hands going around his waist and the lips that pressed themselves into the crook of his left shoulder.

Sora closed his eyes and placed his right cheek against Riku's firm bare left shoulder. "Yet you never wished to sell it."

"I just can't…" he whispered back, his eyes fixed on the tranquil sea the house looked out upon from a high cliff. "Mainly because it'd be a stupid thing to do; I mean we have a private beach down there!"

Sora giggled and looked over his shoulder at the sea and the moon that hung low above its horizon. "As well as a huge and beautiful garden."

Riku smiled softly and nodded. "But more importantly because this house was my haven of peace for almost 18 years. When my mother died, this place was all I had left of her. My memories of her, they're all here. Even the pain of her passing— it's here I feel close to her the most." He placed his hands on Sora's holding him. "I couldn't sell it, even if I never came back here after you and I left for DC."

"You know what? I've always liked this house and how the smell of freshly baked pancakes would fill the kitchen in the morning." Sora buried his nose into the long mane of his lover's hair and closed his eyes again, swaying back and forth slightly in their embrace and enjoying the refreshing marine breeze that played through the nocturnal air. "And who knows, we might be coming back here again when we're all old and wrinkled," Sora kissed him in his neck again. "To enjoy a well-deserved retirement."

Riku chuckled, "you're already thinking about that?"

"Don't you want to grow old with me?" the brunet gently asked, brushing a few silver locks out of his boyfriend's eyes.

"It's not -_that_- … it's the idea of growing old that is… Look at Ansem…" He made a grimace and Sora giggled.

"If it's any comfort, you'll get there before me," the younger male grinned, "so you can tell me how it feels."

"Not funny. And how the hell is that supposed to be comforting?" Riku retorted, smiling at the sound of Sora's laughter.

"It's not supposed to be funny," Sora said, trying to sound serious while his lips kept forming a grin, "growing old is just a part of life."

Another scowl formed on the other male's face. "It's the end of it, more precisely."

"Come on," Sora took him by his right arm and ushered him out of the room with a giggle. "Time to have that party!"

Riku was about to step out of their bedroom when his cellular vibrated in the back pocket of his pants.

"Masako."

_"Mister Riku Masako, you have just been promoted to the overall Chief Executive Officer of the Nobuhiro Conglomerate. A personal helicopter will land shortly on your mansion's property to take you back to the Nobuhiro head office in Destiny city. Please be prepared."_

Sora turned to look at Riku with a grin, but soon stopped as he saw the expression of growing distress that took over his lover's face. He knew in an instant what it was that provoked that reaction and could feel tears form behind his eyes. "Riku… he's…?"

Riku swallowed with some difficulty, fighting back the tightening of his throat and closed his eyes. "When…?"

_"A few minutes ago, sir._ _He suffered a cardiac malfunction."_

Sora watched with watering eyes how a lonely tear rolled out of Riku's closed right eye and moved in to hug him tightly. "Oh my God…"

"Thank you," and with that the new CEO of Nobuhiro Zaibatsu hung up his phone, holding on to his lover who now wept silently in his arms.

_The king is dead._

_Long live the king._

_**

* * *

Thank you. There's really nothing else I can say, except that. Thank you to all of you out there who still back me up on this, you guys know how much time and effort I've put into creating these stories so far.**_

_**Thank you for just being there and reading my work.**_

_**Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.**_

_ToBeContinued_… _(I'm not giving up on this yet…)_

_**-BDP-**_


	6. Disconnect

* * *

Six : Disconnect – Naked pt. 1

* * *

His body fell like a bag of bricks onto the musty bed. Every single muscle violently protested to any movement and he remained, even though the duvet beneath him smelled anything but fresh, face down on top of his new temporary sleeping spot.

"Was this the best you could find?"

Next to him, a large black bag was thrown on the floor and something plopped down near his head.

"Take it, you're going to have to learn how to handle it."

Crystal blue eyes turned towards the object and a tired hand picked it up. "You think this will keep me safe…?"

"It's either that, or locking you up somewhere bullet proved."

Roxas sighed and turned himself around on the bed so he was lying on his back and took the revolver Axel just gave him in his hands. "I think I'll take the 'somewhere bullet proved', please."

"Roxas," the redhead standing next to the sole large bed of the kitschy motel room softly spoke, "you know we got to keep moving."

"And keep losing sleep in the process too?" The younger one sarcastically replied before closing his eyes and covering them with an arm. "I freakin need some shuteye! We drove for over 9 hours and I'm kinda pissed now because you've refused to tell me anything ever since you kidnapped me from my own house."

"Kidnap?" Axel echoed disbelievingly, "Kidnap? I saved your ass back there, and this is the thanks I get?"

Roxas chuckled humourlessly and then sat up, "How about me answering your question with another one, see if you want to answer. How the hell did you manage to escape from jail?"

The redhead fixed him silently for a moment and then turned towards the door to exit. "I'll go see if I can get you something to eat."

Roxas growled underneath his breath and let himself fall back onto the bed. "Fine! Don't mind me not saying thanks!"

Axel didn't answer and simply walked out of the room.

* * *

The house smelled empty as they walked into the hall, the air chilly and not quite the same as it always felt.

The bags were thrown at the base of the stairs and Sora followed Riku into their living room with his eyes, bringing his own hands over his arms to hug himself as he watched the broken man that now sat himself in their sofa.

"Do you want me to set some coffee? Or tea?" He offered while walking into the living room in turn, fidgeting with the long sleeves of his light blue t-shirt, not knowing what else do to with himself.

Riku didn't answer, but only stared straight in front of him and pressed his lips together as he silently sniffled. He looked ten years older all of a sudden with his two days old stubble beard and the tired look that had settled in his emerald eyes.

The brunet took a shaky breath and walked up to him so he could slide his arms around him and kiss the top of his head. "What can I do to help you through this, baby?" he softly whispered with his eyes closed as he felt the hand that Riku placed on his left arm.

"You're doing great, ange…" the older male whispered back with a shaky smile, still staring straight ahead of him, "I couldn't ask for more…"

Sora let go of him and caressed his platinum hair back a little with an empathizing smile before kissing him on the crown of his head again and deciding to give him some time alone.

None would be able to say that the man sitting in the living room right now, had just become one of the most powerful business men in the entire world. Nothing like that could be seen now, nothing but an orphan mourning the death of his sole mentor.

Sora walked back into the hall and began picking up their bags to carry them up their room.

The door fell shut, the bags hit the floor and he suddenly felt tired, oh so tired, as if he hadn't slept in weeks. The fatigue mingled with the sadness and the accompanied feeling of fear for the unknown ahead had worn him out without him realising and he sank through his knees, sitting himself against the door.

Searching for some much needed comfort that he couldn't ask from Riku right now, he brought his hands up his arms and hugged himself, feeling the familiar sensation of his eyes preparing themselves for fresh tears.

The funeral was tomorrow morning.

Sora wiped away the first tear that rolled down his right cheek and pulled all of his will together, standing up again. Riku needed him right now and therefore he couldn't sit up in their room and let sadness take him over.

Not yet.

Sora opened the door again and exited, descending the set of stairs. "Riku?" he called to him softly, finding him to still be staring straight ahead of him right where he left him before, "Riku, I'm going to make us dinner, are you hungry?"

Riku shook his head, but Sora knew better; he hadn't let an ounce of food pass his lips in the last 20 hours. "I think it'll be macaroni and cheese, since I didn't get the time to do some grocery shopping yet…"

"I'm not hungry, ange," Riku stated, his voice hollow and tired. "Don't make yourself go through such trouble."

The younger male bit his lower lip to prevent himself from crying and took a deep breath. He then walked over to him again and kneeled right in front of him on the carpeted floor. "Baby," he whispered, "look at me please," he reached out to his face so his eyes would focus on his "I need for you to eat right now, okay?" he shakily whispered, "I need for you to at least take that worry off my chest. This is hard, I know, and you need to mourn, but please eat something?"

Riku stared at him for a while and then blinked, "You look even more tired than me…" he smirked briefly and cupped his face with a hand, pulling him closer, "I've been worrying you that much?"

Sora smiled a trembling smile and inhaled softly, closing his eyes. "If you eat, I'll worry less."

An amused grin then formed on the blonde's lips and he took him in his arms. "How much less?"

"A tiny little bit less…" Sora answered from over his shoulder, holding him tightly. "Sorry for being so selfish right now."

"Are you kidding?" Riku whispered back, looking at him now, "I'm lucky to have you. Now I feel better when I think of what lies ahead."

Sora moved himself on his knees next to him on the couch and embraced him again, holding his head close to his chest. "It's going to be a bumpy a ride, isn't it?"

"I don't feel ready, not the tiniest bit…" The older male confessed, wrapping his arms around his lover's waist for comfort. "He left so suddenly and I wish that I had spent more time with him and that I had known him better…"

Sora nodded silently, kissing the crown of his head. "He trusted you… I think he knew you had it in you to become the president of Nobuhiro Zaibatsu. He believed in you."

Riku detached himself from him a little and gave him a slightly angsty expression.

"What's that scared face for?" Sora whispered with a small smirk. "It's going to be hard, but we're together, so it'll all be okay, just trust me. I believe in you too."

"This is so surreal…"

Sora let him burry himself in his arms again and rested his chin on his head. "We've been through worse, haven't we?"

Riku's hold on him only tightened and they remained in their embrace, offering each other wordless mutual comfort and reassurance. Tomorrow they'd face the world and the new challenges it offered, but today nothing would disturb their secluded universe, no matter how shaken it already had become.

* * *

Thunder rolled in the cloudy skies in the distance, the moist air carrying the echoes of the deluge ahead over the plains.

The first drops of rain landed on his hand and Roxas reached to close the window of his door with a sigh. He placed his right elbow against the leader and turned to look at Axel, who was fixing the road ahead of him, with an irritated scowl on his face. "Stop the car."

Axel glanced at him, "What?"

"Stop the fucking car, Axel!" Roxas viciously spoke from between his teeth.

Even though he growled, Axel still moved the black Chevrolet onto the side of the road. Still, he left the motor running. "What the hell's gotten into you?!"

"No! What the hell's gotten into you?!" the younger one retorted, stepping out of the car and slamming the door shut.

Axel stepped out as well and walked over to Roxas' side with an angry expression on his face. "Ok, listen! Just get in the car—"

Roxas turned to him. "No!"

Grabbing onto his right upper arm, Axel pulled him close. "Get in the car, so we can talk on the way!"

"Let go of me!" the blonde growled back, twisting his arm free from his hold.

A new clap of thunder resounded above their heads and the clouds gathered ominously into a thick pack of grey.

"I've had enough!"

Axel took a step towards him, "Roxas—"

"Shove it!" the smaller male cried. "Tell me _where_ we're going, how the fuck you got _out_ of jail and why the _hell_ do you feel like we still need to go any further; we passed Crystle 3 hours ago! I'm not going to move a single foot before you've given me a descent answer to those three questions, Axel!"

"Damnit!" the redhead impatiently exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air. "Get this into your tiny little head, will ya?! People are trying to kill you!"

Just as Roxas was about to serve him a snappy remark, a soft buzzing sound was heard.

Axel grunted and reached into the interior pocket of his long black leather coat, taking out a black device as he turned his back to the blonde.

"So now what?" Roxas smugly whispered, crossing his arms over his chest.

Axel didn't answer him, but only stood there after he had turned again, staring at the device he still held in his right palm. A flash of silent lightening then illuminated the darkened skies and he looked up at him, a strange, stunned expression in his pale green eyes.

"What?!" Roxas said in an annoyed manner, walking up to him.

Axel lifted his hands and placed them on the smaller male's shoulders, closing his eyes with a small sigh. "Roxas," he softly spoke, staring into his eyes with such a calm resolve that it rendered him silent in an instant. "We need to get to the meeting point as fast as we can—"

"Where is this meeting poi—"

"In Dusk. Roxas please, they've already realised that we haven't taken the ferry to DI. They're chasing after us!"

Roxas blinked at first and then gasped as he had wanted to look around before he got stopped. "Axel—"

"Do you want to die?" he calmly whispered, still looking into his eyes, "Do you want Sora and Riku to get killed?"

Ice cold shivers then ran down Roxas' spine and he shook his head. "Axel, what is going on?"

"Get to the car."

"Axel—"

He grabbed him by his right arm and forcefully walked him up to the passenger's door. "Get in the fucking car, right now!"

Roxas obediently did as told and closed the door again, waiting for Axel to take his place next to him. "Axel, what—?"

"I can't believe they're on to us already! It's too fast…" Axel now started the engine and they hastily got back onto the road. He hit the steering wheel with his right fist in frustration. "Goddammit!"

By now Roxas could feel his heart beating with heartfelt angst as he constantly looked back at the distance they had traced since they took off.

"Roxas. Nobuhiro is the one who released me."

Roxas turned to him with an incredulous expression on his face. "Do you have any idea how non plausible that sounds?"

Axel sighed in aggravation without looking away from the road ahead. "He's the one who released me," he continued, as if he never stopped, "and now he's dead."

It was like a bucket of frozen water got thrown on top of his head, for Roxas only stared at him for a long time. "He… he succumbed to…?"

A small shake of head was his answer and Axel continued with gritted teeth, "He got murdered."

Roxas gasped and closed his eyes in shock of the news. He suddenly felt sick.

"Nobuhiro knew someone in his entourage would eventually betray him, he knew that his life and the future of his company were in danger. That's why he set up a secret mobile corps that would protect his legacy when the time would arise for them to be needed."

"But how?" Roxas wondered silently.

"How what?"

"Sephiroth. He was sentenced to 25 year if I still remember it correctly. It hasn't even been 2 years."

The redhead smiled wryly at that. "You didn't honestly think that a man as powerful as Sephiroth would nicely go to jail to face his sentence now would you?" He snickered, "He managed to close a deal with the judge before his sentence even fell. He isn't in a cell anymore."

"Then where is he?"

"In his second residence in Midgar. On house arrest. He coordinates his puppets from there."

Roxas gulped, noticing that he was slightly shivering. "Who _are_ they?"

A gloomy expression formed on Axels face and his hands unwillingly tightened around the steering wheels, his knuckles turning white. "They call themselves the Order of 13. Or, as we call them, Organisation 13."

"Organisation 13?"

"A group of assassins, mercenaries and ancient high ranked military officers who've chosen to join with Sephiroth for all different reasons. They're extremely dangerous, specialising in stealth operations and undercover missions. None of us knows how exactly they look."

The smaller blonde felt like he had landed himself into an espionage movie of some sort. "And they're after Sora and Riku…?"

"Riku is now officially the new CEO of Nobuhiro Zaibatsu, right? Then yes, they will come after him and Sora to claim back the company. Sephiroth never forgave his father for not giving him the company as he promised and of course, was full of rage when he heard Riku was going to inherit it. The events of Crystle didn't make things better either."

"I still don't get one thing," Roxas almost inaudibly whispered, trying real hard not to let his voice tremble with held back fear. "Why did he help you out of jail?"

Axel was silent for a while as his eyes went soft with the memories that played through his head. "You know that I grew up in an orphanage, right?"

Roxas nodded quietly.

"Ansem Nobuhiro was one of its benefactors. He used to send gifts to us every year with Christmas and he visited once in a while. One day, I think I was 12, I kicked a football right through one of the Orphanage's windows and straight into the meeting room Nobuhiro was talking with the headmaster. I knew I was in trouble and instead of hiding away I went to the room to receive my proper punishment. I was one of the oldest kids there and I had always been told to be a good example for the younger ones there…

Nobuhiro had been standing in the middle of the room with the ball in his hands as I entered and I was certain that he'd beat me with his can, but he didn't and instead smiled at me and congratulated me. He said that it takes courage and a great sense of responsibility to admit when one has done something wrong and to ask forgiveness for it. And also, that great men could be separated from the others by just that…"

Another silence settled between them and Roxas realised with every passing minute that Ansem Nobuhiro had been something of a father figure to Axel and that losing him probably wounded him more than he was showing right now.

"When I turned 18 and that I found myself thrown into the active life, I wasn't exactly the praise worthy boy anymore. I did some bad things, met bad people… until I got thrown into jail last year. I hadn't seen Ansem in 7 years and yet he didn't scold me or accuse me of anything when he came to visit me. He only told me that he could use trustworthy people around him and that if I wanted to clean up my life that I should follow him. I've been a member of his team ever since."

"So you've been out of jail for a while…" Roxas noted.

Axel glanced at him and smiled softly. "Why didn't I come and visit you if I had been out for so long?"

Roxas smiled back softly and shook his head, "Oh no… Now that I've heard the entire story I understand why not. It doesn't really matter anyways…"

"I've wanted to see you the moment I was out, believe me."

"You don't need to justify yourself to me, it doesn't matter—"

"It does to me," Axel whispered, his eyes resting on the road, "and you know the reason why."

Something suddenly clicked in Roxas' head and he turned to him with a disbelieving expression. "Taking me out of DC wasn't part of the overall plan, was it?"

"I couldn't let them have you," Was all Axel said.

"You could've gotten yourself killed!" He whispered back, not caring now if his voice was trembling. "You jeopardised your mission—"

"I'm replaceable to the team." Axel interrupted him softly, "But you're not replaceable to me."

"Axel…"

"You're without a doubt the best thing that happened to me, Roxas. I couldn't just stand by and watch you get butchered."

Tears were stinging behind the blonde's eyes and he closed them to face away from him. He sniffled and opened them again, letting a pair of tears roll down his cheeks as he looked at the monotonous scenery that passed them by. "Then how can you be so selfish?" he whispered silently. "Do you think I would've been okay if you had been killed back there? How can you even say stuff like that so easily?"

Axel looked at him and watched him shed his tears without saying a word before understanding that the feelings he had thought to be gone still lingered within Roxas and that to him, even if he'd never admit it openly, he did matter. After everything that had happened, he still mattered to Roxas.

It had been a while since he had felt this uplifting feeling that was beginning to take hold of him now. "I'm sorry," he then whispered truthfully.

Roxas smiled tearfully and shook his head while sniffling. "You really are an idiot."

They both chuckled at that and watched how they passed by a road board signalising that they were nearing the city of Dusk.

* * *

At first, small droplets dripped from the skies onto the city, the gathering clouds creating a veil of premature darkness before the rain began bucketing down, immersing DC in a heavy deluge.

The white wheelchair stood in the middle of the lavish living room, its empty state making it painfully clear that he was really no more.

Sora closed the door behind him as he and Riku entered Ansem's penthouse in Radiant Garden. He joined up with him and Thomas Xehanort into the living room and took a shaky breath at the sight of the chair standing there in the lone room. His hand instinctively searched for Riku's and they met, intertwining themselves in silent comfort.

Xehanort stepped up to the device and stood still in front of it, using the moment to bring up some harboured memories of the late man. "Enjoy your well-deserved rest, Oji-sama…"

Riku sighed and averted his eyes from the scene, fighting against his watering eyes. He felt Sora squeeze his hand and he nodded with a smile, finding back the strength to not break down into a cowering heap.

Xehanort then turned towards them with suspiciously moist eyes and a smile, "If you would please follow me, Riku, Sora? Mister Nobuhiro left the documents for Riku's ascension to the Head Seat in his office as well as his will."

Riku only nodded and unwillingly tightened his hold on Sora's hand.

They followed the white haired man into the corridor at the right side of the room and walked towards the majestically decorated double door with flower patterns at the end of the hall.

"After the funeral of tomorrow," Xehanort informed, ushering them into a gigantic room fashioned to the late 19th century Art Nouveau style, "we'll have the company's lawyers and main shareholders assist at the succession meeting in the main board room at 1PM sharp." He walked over to a painting hanging in the back of the room and pushed it to the side, revealing a black square in the wall behind it. A small keyboard was next to it, on which Xehanort quickly typed in a password. The safe opened itself and he took out a brown document holder. "Here."

Riku stepped forward and took the holder he was holding out to him.

"He assigned me as your assistant, to continue guiding you through this ruthless world you're about to enter fully." Xehanort said with a peculiar smile. "He had complete faith in you, Riku, but he still wanted for you to get the best help he could get you so you would rise to become the President Nobuhiro Zaibatsu would need in these times of change."

"If he's the one who told you to help me, who am I to refuse?" Riku calmly spoke, placing the holder underneath his right arm and extending his hand, "I am going to need your help, Thomas, if I am to bring this to a good end."

Xehanort nodded and took his hand to shake it in his. "I shall help you in the best way that I can, Riku."

Riku smiled, "You have my most sincere thanks." They let go of each other and he let his eyes wander around the beautiful room once more, admiring the many flowing, asymmetrical details that went into every piece of crafted wood, from the colossal desk to the with white covered chairs and two-seat bench at the left side of the room underneath the panoramic window.

Xehanort turned to him again as he had now closed off the save again and followed his admiring gaze. "Mister Nobuhiro left you with the option of either inheriting his penthouse and all of its valuable objects, or to give it away to an orphan foundation that he used to patron."

The blonde male chuckled melancholically and cast a gaze at Sora standing by the door. "I'll give it away. It'll be more useful this way."

Sora smiled back and gave a small, albeit proud, nod.

Xehanort nodded in turn. "Very well."

Riku walked back to Sora and took his hand again. "Then," he said turning to the white haired man a last time, "I believe this was all? We'll see each other tomorrow?"

"Yes, Riku." Xehanort spoke with amiable smile. "Tomorrow will be the beginning of your new empire and the start of your reign."

"How poetical," Riku commented with a smirk, before turning around.

Sora smiled amusedly at that and wanted to give Xehanort a last look in sign of goodbye, but as his eyes landed on the other man, he found him looking out the window with a rather cold and unpleasant smirk on his face. A wave of angst then suddenly took over him and he quickly followed Riku out the room, holding on tightly to his leading hand.

* * *

The heavy drops of rain drummed onto the roof of the car as they stepped in, the water covering the window shield like a flowing curtain.

"How long have you known Xehanort for, Riku?" Sora asked, buckling himself up.

Riku started the car and thought about it briefly. "Not that long actually. I met him the last time I saw Ansem."

"The day we decided to go for DI."

"Yeah."

A pensive expression now formed on the younger male's face and he fell silent.

"Why?" Riku wondered, pulling out of their parking space, "Is something wrong?"

Sora shrugged, "There's something about him that unsettles me…"

Riku smiled reassuringly, "When I first met him, I felt the same way. Yet I'm positive that he's trustworthy."

"Hmmm…" Sora tilted his head to side as he stared at the pouring rain outside his window. "If Ansem trusted him… I guess he is."

Riku frowned at those words. "Did he do or say something, babe?"

"No," Sora shook his head, not wanting to worry his lover needlessly. "No. Maybe it's just the first impression he left on me…"

They rode in silence for a while, both now thinking about the events of the next day and the things that would change from then on.

"I really need to stop making myself nervous like this…"

Sora looked Riku's way and placed a comforting hand on his right arm, having heard the nervousness in his lover's voice. "It's only normal, baby. But I know you're exactly what the company waited for; a young, fresh and strong directive force." He smiled, "I think it's going to be great."

They stopped in front of a red light and Riku bent over to him, kissing his plump lips lovingly. "You're my rock, you know that?"

Sora curled his lips into a smile and chuckled. "I'll always be there for you to lean on, you know that." Smooth lips then landed on top of his head and he closed his eyes. "I have faith in you, baby."

Riku sat back behind the wheel and nodded silently, taking a shaky breath. "Yeah."

The car drove on as soon as the light hit green and for a while they continued their drive in a comforting silence.

"Hey," Sora said as he realised where they were driving through now, "Is it okay if you drop me here for an hour or two?"

Riku looked where they were and nodded, "Do you want for me to come and pick you up later?" He now took a left turn and began to lower in speed.

"No, that's okay." Sora bent over in his seat and kissed him softly on his right cheek. "I'll ask for Roxas to take me home if he can."

They now stopped in front of an apartment complex.

"Call me when you leave."

"Will do!" Sora stepped out of the car and threw the door shut before turning and walking up the steps leading to the entry door.

Arrived on the third floor, Sora stepped out of the elevator and made his way to the end of the hall where he took the corridor on his right.

The moment he turned the corner his heart froze right on spot.

The door to apartment 3D13 stood wide open and out of its hinges, revealing a large degree of devastation in the room behind it.

The carpeted floor of the living room was soaked and water flowed out onto to the corridor floor. As he stepped in, he saw the red sofa and armchairs thrown to their sides next to the door with their fillings coming out of various rips in their fabric.

Plants had been ripped out of their pots, plates, cups and glasses had been thrown onto the kitchen floor and the faucet on the small island knocked off, causing for it to spew water incessantly and uncontrollably all around the place.

With his mouth slightly hanging open in apparent shock, Sora stepped in further, not believing what his eyes were telling him he saw.

"What the hell— Roxas!" How on earth did all of this happen?

Sora now jumped over a fallen chair as he tried to look behind one of the armchairs in search for his friend. "Roxas! It's Sora, where are you?"

A sudden obtuse sound coming from the upstairs area caught his attention and he turned towards the floating stairs, his heart beating with growing worry. "Roxas?"

He now soundlessly climbed the stairs, collecting all of his courage together as the creeping silence intensified itself with each step. He feared what he would find of course, but he didn't ignore the possibility of finding his friend in a injured state or worse and in need of help. Sora placed his right hand on Roxas' bedroom door and halted, taking the time to even his breathing. He then closed his eyes and pushed the door open.

With a strange creaking sound the door swung open and showed him an un-slept king-size bed standing in the middle of the room. The covers were still lying neatly upon it, but the sheets that once had been of an immaculate whiteness were now covered with black and grey scorch marks and small splinters of glass littered the floor. There seemed to be no one in here after all.

The room was cold from the chilly air that entered through a hole in the broken window glass and a putrid smell lingered. Underneath the windowsill, on the left side of the room lay a black, metallic cube on the moist carpeted floor.

Sora walked to it and picked it up, looking at it with growing wonder. "A grenade…?"

Glass cracked somewhere behind him and he turned, only to find a gun pointed to his face.

"You've really made it way too easy, dear Sora."

Sora gulped and blinked, his eyes wide open with indescribable angst. "Who—"

"Ah. Ah." The blonde man holding the gun produced a sickening smirk and shook his head, now placing the murderous device harshly against the brunette's forehead. "Not a word."

"I would do as he says, Sora."

Sora rolled his eyes to the black cloaked man that stepped into the room and crossed his big arms over his broad chest. "We wouldn't want for you to get hurt now."

Sora's eyes immediately widened in shock. "You…!"

"You're coming with us," The other man said and Sora could suddenly feel a sharp sting in his left side before the room started to spin and he collapsed into a revolving darkness.

* * *

The clock on top of the electric fire place indicated 09.08 PM.

Riku sat up from his seat in the coach and took out his mobile, grown tired of waiting for his Sora to call him. What was taking him so long? It had been nearly 3 hours since he dropped him off at Roxas' place.

He pressed in a speed dial button and brought the device to his right ear. The phone went over one time, two times, three times—

"_Yes?_"

"Baby what's taking you so long? It's been three hours, do you need for me to pick you up?"

"_Ah… This is Riku, I presume?"_

Riku fell silent and frowned. "Who is this?"

"_I have a message for you, Riku."_

"Who is this?" Riku repeated, growing more suspicious.

"_We have your little Sora, Mr Riku. We want you to know he's safe."_

At that Riku's insides grew cold and his hand gripped his phone tighter. "Where is he?!"

"_Too many questions, Mr Riku._ _Know he is safe."_

Riku felt like his knees were about to give out on him and he searched for support by the dinner table, leaning his left hand on the flat surface. He whispered; "What have you done to him?! Who are you?!"

The low, raspy voice on the other side chuckled briefly, "_Await instructions tomorrow after the succession ceremony."_

He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, "Why are you doing this?"

"_I will make use of your good sense and presume that you are intelligent enough to not alert any authority if you wish to see your boyfriend returned to you in his original state."_

Riku chuckled coldly and shook his head. "How do I know if you're not fooling me with this? Do you know who you are talking to?"

"_Threats have no effects on us, Mr Riku. You are a nobody and therefore I do not think you're sure to want to play these games. Not with us. Not for Sora's sake."_ There was a brief rumbling on the other side of the line and then—

"_Riku, I'm so scared… Please, I—"_A pained moan followed and then nothing else

"Sora!" Riku hollered, having recognised the voice and with it the seriousness of the situation. "God no… Sora! What have you done to him, you asshole!"

"_Await instructions tomorrow after the succession ceremony."_

There was a click and the conversation was ended.

A few moments passed in a horrible silence as Riku simply stood there, the phone still in hand, staring at the wooden surface of the dinner table. It took him a while to realise that he was crying silently and he let himself sink to the floor, still too stunned to realize that all of it was really happening.

Suddenly everything felt like it was collapsing and he pulled his legs up his body and began to cry in earnest, feeling utterly lost. As if someone had stripped him of everything he owned and left him there shivering in the dark.

Completely naked.

**

* * *

The next update will be done faster! Sorry for the long wait everyone! Thank you so much for the support, you're still the greatest public!**

_ToBeContinued_…

_**-BDP-**_


	7. Abandon

* * *

Seven: Abandon - Naked pt. 2

* * *

"_No Riku, it's not!"_

_His giggles echoed through the starlit evening, the last remnants of summer lingering in the warm air. They were lying side by side in a hammock they had suspended in between two trees near the old pirate ship they used to play in on their play island back in Destiny Port._

"_Sure it is," Riku replied, taking hold of Sora's fingers pointing into the sky at one particularly brilliant star. "It's Venus and that over there," he now pointed at a smaller radiant object west from the planet, "that's our lucky star."_

_Sora turned his head to him with an incredulous stare, "It's Sirius."_

_Riku ruffled the back of his hair with a loving smile, "but of course I take it very seriously, why wouldn't I?"_

_The brunette smirked and shook his head. "It's Sirius. As in the name of the star? It's called Sirius. With an 'I'."_

_Riku blinked a few times at that and then stared back up again. "Oh. I forgot you used to study this stuff."_

_Sora lay back beside him and snuggled closer with a reminiscent smile. "I always dreamt of becoming an astronaut… But I sucked so badly at maths that I quickly buried that dream."_

_Riku laughed, "I remember Cloud coming over to your place to tutor you."_

"_There was no helping it," Sora smiled, "Algebra was my worst nightmare."_

"_But it never stopped you from reading astronomy-related books and such…"_

"_No, it never did," he sighed and gazed upwards again. "Hey, you know what?"_

_Riku shifted his head a little backwards so he could look at his face resting on his chest. "What?"_

"_That one, over there," Sora whispered, pointing at one very bright star shining North-East from Sirius, "the one that looks a little more red?"_

_Riku nodded._

"_That one is called Betelgeuse," he continued. "Do you see the group of three stars under it?" He pointed at the said stars, feeling a nod against his head, "and the two smaller stars under those?"_

"_Hey," Riku said, "all together they look like some sort of hourglass, if you draw imaginary lines to connect them."_

_Sora giggled and nodded, "That constellation is called Orion, the hunter."_

"_Orion, the hunter…"_

"_Yeah," the brunette smiled. "Orion the hunter, hunting with his two dogs, Canis Major," he pointed at a group of stars around the bright star Sirius, "and Canis Minor, over there…"_

_Riku smiled as he watched Sora count the tale of the mighty hunter Orion, simply loving how his clear voice sounded in the sweltering evening, sounding like innocent music to his ears. The night crept closer and closer and as the time passed and the skies filled themselves with more stars and untold myths, he wished to never find more happiness than the one he found with Sora in his arms just watching the stars._

With a gasp his eyes opened and he vaguely heard his bedside alarm clock going off. He silenced it and sighed, turning his head to the empty space next to him in the bed. Everything came rushing back now and he sat himself at the side of the bed, bringing his hands to his face to cry.

"Sora…"

* * *

The room was gloomily lit and chilly, the floor was hard and his body felt cold. The notion of time began to lose in meaning the longer he remained, only the pain of what he endured before crystal clear in his mind. 

What was going on?

Whispers of an important person floated around the ones who kept him captive, the mystery of his whereabouts carefully covered by an impenetrable veil.

Sitting up from his lying position, Sora sniffled and turned his head towards the low table left from him, on which a variety of foods were displayed on it. His moist eyes then shifted to the rather comfortable bed that lay behind the table in a corner and then to the sole window several meters above his head through which a form of silver light shone.

Where was he?

He decided to stand up carefully, but soon realised that his sense of balance had been completely shambled and found himself falling back to the floor and against the wall he managed to lean on in time. His breathing was coming rapidly and he felt nauseous, the dark room bouncing around him. Sora realised quickly that he had been drugged, adding a new sense of fear to his already scared state.

What else were the ones keeping him captive capable of doing to him?

A door suddenly creaked open in the distance and he found himself bathing in a bright light, unable to do much but shield his tearing eyes against the invading brightness. A shadow moved towards him and a ruff voice called, but all fell back into darkness a few moments later as his body abandoned on him once more.

* * *

The door to the apartment swung open after Axel had unlocked it and he ushered Roxas standing behind him in. 

"Now, it's less impressive than what you had back in DC, but it's a place to call 'home'."

The younger one smirked briefly and stepped in. "Well, seen as how I left my place, I'm confident it got blown up or something, so I don't think your place can be any—"

Axel turned on the light and an incredibly messy room was lit. He then turned to Roxas with a goofy grin.

"—worse… I think I stand corrected."

The redhead hastily began to gather the socks, t-shirts and underwear still lying around, as well as the half-eaten up boxes of Chinese and slices of pizza that littered the low table in the middle of the living room. "I didn't get the time…"

Roxas chuckled and waved his excuse away. "It can't be any worse than the way my house must be now. And either way, I'm sure your double life doesn't permit you enough time for cleaning."

Axel now came out of the kitchen were he had thrown away the left over pizza and Chinese food, took off his black leather jacket and placed it on the L-shaped 8 seat sofa. "Glad you understand… Can I offer you anything?"

Roxas descended the few steps that led into the living area, shaking his head. "No, thanks," he whispered, now walking over to the impressive dresser on his right. "You have a nice place underneath all the empty bottles and dispersed underwear and magazines." He picked up a red sculpture of a dancing geisha and observed it, "I like what you've done with it, Axel."

By now Axel had lowered the blinds of his large window and closed the curtains. "Thanks." He then let his hands slide into his back pockets, feeling a little uneasy. "So uhm… there's a large bed upstairs." He pointed to the small set of revolving stairs behind him in the corner between the entrance and the kitchen door. "I mean, if you want to sleep."

Roxas silently noted the nervous tone Axel's voice had taken and he smirked. "A shower would be nice now."

"Sure." The older male said, turning around and walking towards the steps. "Let me show you…"

Roxas began to follow him up the stairs but soon had him halting with a hand his right arm. "Can I ask you where you'll be sleeping? You talked of one bed earlier."

Axel reddened but a little and quickly turned again. "The sofa is spacious and overly comfy, believe me."

A slightly disappointed expression then formed on the younger male's face and he let go, following him up the stairs.

Several hours later, Roxas sat in the corner of the sofa, watching TV while Axel cleaned up the dishes after their improvised dinner of left over lasagne and a (surprisingly) fresh salad mix.

Axel put away the last of the dishes and dried his hands with the towel, silently watching from his spot in the kitchen door's opening at Roxas chuckling amusedly at a joke made on TV.

So many feelings had resurfaced lately… yet so many wrongs had to be set right and now just wasn't the time to give into the growing want he experienced for his former lover. The way his cheeks would dimple whenever he would laugh or how his eyes would lit up when he was happy… it had been so long since he had seen it and now that he was here, it was all he longed to see.

But he knew, and felt sorry, that he couldn't acknowledge the fact that the attraction was there and that it was, to his greater regret, mutual.

He closed his eyes and let out a silent sigh before setting up a smile on his face. "I see I'm still the one doing the dishes while you lounge in front of the TV." He jokingly commented, moving himself to sit right from the blonde on the couch.

Roxas grinned at him and shrugged. "Some things will never change, I guess."

Axel smiled back and averted his eyes. "Yeah… some will never change…"

An awkward silence then settled in which they both tried to focus their attention on anything but each other.

"So…" Roxas started reluctantly, "when will you be going to your HQ?"

Axel cleared his throat and shifted uneasily. "I have a briefing first thing in the morning."

"Cool. I'm coming with you."

The redhead had dreaded that and so turned to him. "Roxas I know I said we were supposed to go together—"

"Oh no you don't." Roxas moved to sit on his knees next to him and pointed a finger his way. "You did not just bring me here to keep me locked up in this place!"

Axel closed his eyes and turned away from him before standing up from the couch. "Roxas I wanted for you to be safe. That was the first thing I thought about when I was taking you out of there! I want for you to live! I understand you want to help, but think of the people who would be hurt if anything were to happen to you."

Roxas stood in turn and grabbed Axel's right hand in both of his and smiled up at him. "In other words, I must mind the feelings I know you still have for me, but that you're so desperately trying to hide in order to protect me? What am I? A three year old?"

The redhead smiled a little and averted his eyes again. "Don't let all have been for nothing."

"Axel," Roxas placed a hand on his face so he'd look at him, "I appreciate what you've done, I really do—"

"Then why can't you look at it from my perspective?" He whispered back, looking him in the eyes pleadingly. "You want to help Riku and Sora, okay, but no offence, what is it you can really do?"

"That's why I want to join you and your team!" Roxas whispered, "I need to do something, anything, or I'll go crazy, Axel! They're my friends and I owe them at least that much."

A sad expression came onto the older male's face. "Some things really don't change," he whispered, referring to the way Roxas used to treat him back when they still lived together in Crystle.

Roxas closed his eyes in remorse, sighing softly. "No," he shook his head fervently, placing both his hands on Axel's face, determined to not make the same mistake. "Not this. Not this time."

"But it doesn't matter—"

"Will you stop saying that?!" The blonde whispered softly. "I want it to matter because our break up has hurt me a lot more than you think! I want it to matter because you are the only one that really makes me feel like I matter! I want it to matter because this time… this time I want to put you first and not on the second place like I wrongly did last time!"

"Roxas…"

"Did you honestly think I never felt guilty for what I did to you?" He whimpered, clear drops beginning to fill his beautiful sapphire orbs as he continued to stare at him pleadingly. "Back then I was just so full of myself that I never really cared about what you were thinking or feeling. I just assumed you'd always be there, picking up after me. But now, seeing you punishing yourself like you do just hurts me more than you can ever imagine because it's my fault! You matter to me, Axel and I was an ass to not realise it back then…"

Axel took him in his arms and held him close, not saying anything for a while and just letting him cry his tears against his chest. "Then I hope you realise that I have to do this, Roxas." His voice was soft and his tone not demanding.

"I'll stay." Roxas whispered, giving in. "But don't say it like you're not sure to come back…"

A smile formed on Axel's lips and he kissed the crown of his head. "Why wouldn't I want to come back?" He closed his eyes and breathed in his scent. "Have faith in me, pumpkin."

Roxas smiled and closed his eyes as the arms surrounding him tightened their grip.

"Axel..."

"I'm so glad to finally see you open up to me…" Axel softly spoke against his forehead. "It was about damn time."

Roxas giggled and looked up at him. "I'm glad you've opened my eyes to see what I had been missing…"

"Roxas…" Axel whispered, feeling his heart overflow with renewed amorous feelings. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when it was that he fell for Roxas for the first time, they had been friends for a few years before that. All he knew was that when he did fall, he fell hard and desperately. He remembered how hard of a time he had had trying to convince him to give into him. Never did he get truly satisfied with the relationship they started and yet his feelings never changed. He only kept hoping that one day Roxas would return what he felt so strongly, but it never happened.

Now he decided to not hold back, to give into the feelings he had carried for the blonde for years. He wanted Roxas to feel the heat of the fire he had started deep within him. No more excuses, no more hesitating. He would support his whims and quirks no longer.

Roxas could feel the change in Axel. Where he had been unsure and hesitant before, he was now confident and straightforward. It was certainly a welcome change and he could feel his heart beat faster as a small voice in his mind labelled the change as 'sexy' and 'absolutely virile'. He blushed hard at that.

A seductive grin formed on Axel's lips as he witnessed the reddening of Roxas' cheeks and caressed his ringed right thumb against his left one, coaxing him into the soft kiss that followed.

Roxas couldn't help the surprised whimper escaping his lips and he closed his eyes, melting into the tender yet firm hold he was in.

How could he ever have missed what he had had all along?

Axel placed his hands on the smaller male's hips before letting them slide down towards his thighs and joining right underneath his rear end, pulling his legs apart and lifting him up against him, never breaking the kiss. He barely gave Roxas time to gasp against his lips and then captured them again in a new, raw kiss.

"I want you so much…" Axel whispered throatily against his lips, shifting his attention on his arched back throat, suckling gently yet hungrily, generating delicious moans and gasps from the trembling blonde in his arms. He walked them over to the free wall next to the kitchen's entrance and he pushed him against it, putting his legs around his waist.

Roxas arched as Axel pressed against him, his awakening erection brushing ever so lightly against his. He pulled him closer and moaned throatily with the soft roll of hips Axel produced against him, sending sparks down his spine. "I… I want to see you… Axel…"

Axel flashed him a smile and put him down on his feet, taking a step back. His jade eyes locked with his sapphire ones and he took off the black sleeveless shirt he had been wearing, lifting it over his head, showing his lean and toned body underneath. Another grin formed on his face as he noticed the surprised stare that now adorned Roxas' features in reaction to seeing his body. "You like?" he whispered, throwing the shirt to the side and reaching for the buttons on his black jeans.

"When did you become so—" Roxas whispered, licking his lips as his mind screamed 'ripped!!', "—toned?"

"It's a natural result of my job requierements," Axel chuckled throatily and began unbuttoning his jeans, casting him cheeky glances now and then. "Is it okay?"

Roxas didn't even answer as he didn't get what was asked, his eyes so anxiously fixed on those fingers working those buttons open so excruciatingly slow.

Axel now openly laughed and finally opened the last button, sliding the garment down his hips and passed his thighs, revealing dark blue shorts and a rather large, twitching bulge. He then stepped out of his pants and walked over to him, placing both his hands flatly on each side of his head against the wall.

Roxas was trying his best to breathe normally and to not completely lose himself in this new overwhelming presence named Axel. He was totally taken over, he knew, and his knees were about to give away completely but he loved it. Being overpowered by so sexy and handsome a man made him melt utterly and completely and he was aware that trying to fight his ever growing desire was a futile thing to do.

Axel lowered his right hand from its position near his head and placed it against Roxas' left hip, still looking him in the eyes as he shivered at the electric contact, sliding it underneath the white wife beater top he was wearing and up towards his chest.

"Hnn…" Roxas grabbed hold of Axel's hand underneath his shirt with his left hand as it skimmed his nipple.

Axel brought his face closer and smothered another one of the blonde's gasps with his lips, delving into his mouth with his tongue in a wild chase, pressing his body now against his, discovering the evidence of Roxas' arousal poking against his own. He used his free left hand on the small of his back to keep him close to him.

"Axel…!" The left hand placed on the younger male's back now crawled lower and into his grey low-hip drawstring pants, enclosing its fingers around one soft lobe of flesh, squeezing wantingly.

"Shall I take them off…?" He teased, murmuring the words against the sensitive skin of his throat, dropping kisses here and there.

Roxas smiled against his shoulder and buried his nose in the crook of his neck and shoulder. "What are you waiting for?"

**_(For more AkuRoku, please visit my bio for the links to the uncensored version of this chap)_**

Axel held Roxas close in his arms and watched how he fell asleep, a satisfied smile on his soft lips. He pressed a last kiss on his forehead and moved so he could stand, carrying the sleeping blonde up the stairs and into his room for the night.

He would not have the heart to say goodbye in the morning to keep Roxas from waking up alone in an empty bed.

* * *

"You're late." 

08. 30 Am. Location: 4km underneath the Aoki Lake in Harudai Park, Dusk.

Axel yawned and then grumbled something underneath his breath, not looking up as he passed by the dark haired young woman who had shot him the remark. "And you're ugly," he murmured, "you don't hear me complain."

She chuckled softly and added sarcastically, "How refined…" He growled at her and she laughed. "Lulu wanted to see you. She 's in the conference room."

He sighed and rolled his eyes as he came to a stop a few steps further. "Ruby? Shit."

She walked back up to him and gave him a worried look. "What have you been doing on your own, Axel?"

Axel turned and looked at her. "Tifa..." She was Ruby's younger sister. You could see that, they had the same long and dark hair with fiery eyes. And of course, you had to be an idiot to not notice how absolutely gorgeous she was.

"Don't explain," she whispered, placing a comforting hand on his right shoulder. "I understand. It's Ruby you're going to have a hard time convincing."

Axel sighed, dreading the upcoming confrontation. Lulu, codename Ruby, was the Head Chief of their order and not a cat you'd want to handle without gloves. Next from being extremely talented, she was also very intelligent and possessed the capacities required to run a secret organisation like theirs. But the thing that made her really redoubtable was the fact that she never took shit from anyone and had a habit of striking back with a nasty vengeance when done wrong.

"It won't change the fact that I disobeyed to a direct order even if I apologise and give her my reasons, Tiff," he whispered, turning himself back towards the end of the corridor. "I'll just go and get this over with."

She smiled softly, "If it's any help, I wish you good luck."

Axel began walking and waved his hand at her without looking back, "Thanks, I think I'll be in dire need of it."

He continued his way down the hall and quickly proceeded towards the lower floors of the underground complex. Finally arrived in front of the double doors of the conference room, he knocked twice before entering.

He found himself standing in a gigantic, circular dark red room once he closed the door behind him. A grand circular table was standing in the middle of it, taking most of the space. Surrounding it where giant screens, adjusted to the curved walls, occupying the whole upper half of them.

The head chair was turned towards the largest of all screens, right across from him at the other side of the room.

Axel took a breath and bent over. "Jade here to report, ma'am."

The chair turned itself to the side and a pair of long, pale legs was seen, uncrossing themselves on top of high-heeled black stiletto's. Black nailed fingers gripped the arm supports of the leather seat and a gorgeous woman stood from the chair, her black eye-lined ruby eyes taking him in a cold and distant manner. She was wearing a black, long sleeved leather shirt with a matching black leather skirt to finish her ensemble. Her long black hair was done in cornrows that went only as far as the middle of her head and joined together in breads tightly bonded in a high ponytail.

"Approach, Agent Jade," her sultry voice echoed through the room. She moved herself to the left side of the large screen she had been looking at before and touched a switch situated there, immediately plunging the room in a semi-darkness.

Axel did as told and placed himself next to her chair as soon as she had seated herself back in it.

"I shall not divulge in your current solitary activities, Jade, for we have more pressing matters that call for our attention. I am afraid the Organisation has finally made a crucial move."

Axel only blinked, having prepared himself for a terrible session of scolding, but seemingly getting away without it. "What is going on?"

She took hold of the remote she kept on the right arm holder of her chair and pressed a command towards the screen. A very familiar face suddenly appeared on the screen.

"Sora Nagakawa," Ruby spoke, "life partner to Riku Masako, has been kidnapped yesterday afternoon out of Roxas Haruki's duplex."

Axel gave her a shocked look.

"Due to the wiring we made on Masako and Nagakawa's residence a few weeks ago, we managed to tap into their telephone line and listen into a conversation Mr Masako had with the people who kidnapped Mr Nagakawa some time last night. We have no doubt about it any longer that it is Organisation XIII that is behind it."

She pressed in another button on her controller and a sound track was played off, demonstrating the conversation Riku had the night before.

"They're after the company as we feared," Axel concluded after he had listened to it. He then closed his eyes and averted his face from the screen. "That guy has no chance."

Ruby nodded solemnly, "Even though they seemingly offer some sense of comfort to the one left behind to worry about his loved one, they have no intention whatsoever to return their hostage alive. We've seen it happen before."

Axel sighed and obviously showed to have a hard time accepting it. Ruby noted his behaviour from the corner of her left eye and then closed her eyes. "Your friend and Nagakawa were very close."

The redhead bent his head and shook it, "On our way to the city, he was the only thing he could think about..."

She opened her eyes again and nodded. "Our role is to make sure that the Nobuhiro Conglomerate doesn't fall into the hands of Seymour Masako through his minions. We are to protect Riku and help him bring his rule to a good end. That's the task Sir Ansem left us with, all else is but trifle."

Axel gritted his teeth at that and closed his eyes. It would be as he feared, there would be nothing done to save Sora.

"But," She continued softly, "in order for Riku to function well as the head of the enterprise he's inherited, he needs Sora by his side."

Axel's head shot up at that.

"I've observed the both of them long enough to know that now," Ruby glanced him a gentle smile. "I am truly glad you went to save your friend. It had been a misjudgement from my part to keep you from it. How else would you have been able to work properly with him on your conscience?"

"Miss Ruby..."

She chuckled softly and he stiffened; this was the first time he had ever heard or seen her laugh openly like this. "Thank Riku and Sora and accept my deepest apologies, Jade."

He was still too baffled to realise what had just happened and he only blinked stupidly before realising that a response was awaited from his part. "A-ah thank you, Miss Ruby!"

She nodded and turned back to the screen. "Riku has been told in a new message that he was to give up all of his rights to the company if he wishes to keep Sora alive."

Axel nodded in turn, "They sent him a tape?"

Ruby nodded darkly and pressed in a new button. A black screen appeared.

"_Please, let me go…"_

A man huffed and then some shuffling was heard, but the screen remained black. Some more shuffling and a frightened whimper sounded.

"_Please… no… no stop!"_

A low chuckle was heard and Sora began sobbing.

Axel averted his face and closed his eyes. "Fuck…"

Sora screamed and the man breathed hard, seemingly putting effort in whatever he was doing.

"_Stop… p-please…"_ his voice sounded pained and broken now, something slapping against a smooth surface before he cried out.

Ruby wasn't looking at the screen anymore and sped the tape up, "It goes on like this until he's finished." She stopped the forwarding and white letters appeared on the black screen.

"HAD ENOUGH? GIVE UP THE COMPANY OR WE'LL SEND ONE OF HIS EARS WITH THE NEXT TAPE. IM SURE SORA WILL LOVE OUR NEXT VISIT. YOU HAVE 48 HOURS. WE'RE WATCHING YOU."

She turned off the video and turned to him with a grave look on her face.

"How soon?" Axel asked.

"In an hour. Everything has been prepared; you'll go by jet. You'll act according to standard procedure 3. Don't leave him out of your sight. Agent Scarlet will be waiting for you in DC."

Axel nodded.

Ruby stood now and placed her hand on her hips, sighing. "Do you think you can ask your friend to stay here?"

The redhead winced, "I can, but whether he'll be willing is another problem."

She smiled, "I see. Then take him with you. Though, make sure he understands the situation he's still in and what it means for you."

"Yes, ma'am," Axel nodded and turned, walking back to the door.

"Agent Jade?" Ruby called, catching his attention a last time. "Make sure you're prepared for Riku. Don't forget you and him have a history."

He grinned and saluted her, "Don't worry, I'm used to atoning for my past actions. He should be a piece of cake."

She watched him leave, her smile slowly dissipating itself into a worried scowl.

**

* * *

Thanks for reading… as always, you guys are the greatest!**

_ToBeContinued_…

_**-BDP-**_


	8. The rift

**_Thank you so much for all of you who keep reading and reviewing this piece! Cookies for all!_**

* * *

Chapter 8 : The rift

* * *

The sound of a door slamming shut in the distance awoke him and he moved up from his position on the floor to crawl onto the bed standing next to him. He then looked around, finding the same room from before staring back at him. There was still food on the low table and he realised with growing urgency that he was starving.

Reaching out for an apple, he suddenly thought back of what happened before and he immediately placed the fruit back in its basket. He had been drugged earlier and he had no idea how much time had elapsed between then and now. His body no longer felt feverish and nauseous like it did before, and he managed to stand on his feet.

The first thing he did was searching his body for traces of violations, needing to know what kind of people were keeping him captive.

With a trembling hand he began to feel his arms, chest, abdomen and sides for bruises, but found none. He could easily tell that he had not been forced to have sex either; his lower regions felt non-violated.

Sora nodded to himself now, knowing this and feeling but a bit reassured. He took a few steps towards the door. It was massive and felt heavy under his fingertips. He hit the palms of his hands against it, trying to scream for someone to let him out. It was to no avail as he expected and he took a deep breath, determined not to panic and to stay calm.

He had to find a way out. He looked around, walked to every corner of the room, felt every wall and hit each one of them, but couldn't find any flaw. His eyes then finally fell on the small rectangular window above his bed and the light that came through it. It was the chamber's sole source of light.

Sora knew he couldn't possibly reach the window by simply standing on the bed and therefore looked around the room again in search of something he could use.

The only furniture in the room next to the bed were a low table and a chair.

He quickly moved to the low table and began to take off everything lying on it, placing it on the floor soundlessly, not knowing if someone was listening in on him or not.

He then put the table on the side of the bed where his pillow lay and tried to stand on top of it, only to realise that he had very bad balance on the mattress and that he couldn't see just yet. All he could discern was that the light came from an enormous chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

He quickly got off the table and took the chair, praying that he wouldn't fall off this unstable construction.

This time he distinguished a red carpet and a long table with many chairs, which meant he was underground somewhere in a house. He dared to push himself on his toes so he could peek to his right in an attempt to see more, but suddenly met with a pair of bright green eyes that startled him and caused him to lose his delicate equilibrium, tumbling back down and onto the bed with the chair falling on the floor beside him in a cacophony of sound.

Sora rapidly looked up at the window, but the eyes were gone. He got up and took the table off the bed, putting it back on its place.

A door creaked open in the distance and footsteps followed.

Sora gasped and hurriedly placed the fruit basket back on the table and the chair next to his bed.

The door opened and a streak of light fell upon him, nearly blinding him. It was impossible for him to distinguish the person standing by the door, his eyes had accustomed themselves to the incessant semi-darkness his room was constantly plunged in.

"Aren't we the ingenious little one."

Sora gulped and sat down on the bed very slowly. His breath hitched in his throat and he gulped with some difficulty, he was certain that if someone listened close enough they'd hear his heart beating furiously underneath his chest. "Why have you brought me here?" he managed to whisper, "What do you want from me?"

The person entered and closed the door a little, leaving but a minim opening.

Sora did not know if his eyes were playing tricks on his mind once the light was diminished, but for a moment there he really thought he saw—

"Riku…"

The young man shook his shoulder length silver hair and placed a hand on his right hip, chuckling. "Not quite, but close."

Sora couldn't recognise the voice and began to retreat further onto the bed with each step the Riku look-a-like took towards him. "Who… who are you?"

"That doesn't matter for now, believe me," he whispered softly, standing in front of the bed now and looking down at Sora with a predatory gleam in his cold green eyes. He then made a longing sound in the back of his throat and licked his lips. "I'm more interested in you…"

Sora scowled and held on to his sweatshirt, curling up against the wall. "What do you want from me?" he shakily demanded, feeling anxious and angry at the same time. "Why am I here? Let me go!"

A devilish grin grew on the young male's features. "Did you know that, when you're dying, your hearing is the last sense you lose?" He produced a silver knife from behind his back and Sora stiffened completely.

He smirked at that reaction. "What I want from you, Sora," he said, almost purring, "is for you to become enslaved by my deepest desires…"

Sora could only stare at him in complete shock.

* * *

"I am sorry, but if you don't have any appointments with Mr Masako, then I'm afraid I cannot let you in."

Roxas chewed on the inside of his cheek in annoyance, looking sideways at Axel standing next to him. "Some organisation you're in…" he mumbled.

They were both standing in front of the reception desk at the Nobuhiro building in DC-centre.

Axel sighed and glared at the smaller blonde before producing a black, metallic card from inside his vest. "I'm sure he's expecting me," he said with a smile, showing the card at the girl behind the counter.

She glanced at it and immediately nodded, standing up from her chair. "Please, this way." She preceded them towards the elevators on their right and they stepped into one that just arrived.

The doors slid closed and the girl took out a small golden key she inserted into the lock under the many buttons on the control panel.

The elevator instantly began to move upward and kept going for at least three minutes without interruption until they landed on the top floor of the Nobuhiro building.

"Mr Masako's office," the girl said as the doors opened. "He's expecting you now."

They walked out and faced a concrete wall. The doors of the elevator closed themselves again and they remained, trapped in the small space.

"Eh…" Roxas whispered, looking around expectantly, noting that there was no control panel for the elevator behind them, "Axel?"

"These walls on either side of us are scanning us for any sort of weapons and some other things. It'll be over in a minute."

"Sheesh, you'd think he's some kind of royalty now…"

Axel smirked dryly, "In a way, he is."

Roxas rose an incredulous eyebrow and then visibly relaxed at Axel's calm demeanour. Only a short moment later the concrete wall opened and the halves moving aside revealed a tall, young woman with stylish grey hair and blood red eyes. She was wearing black leather pants, a white wife-beater and a black short vest.

Her eyes landed on them and she gave a short nod, "Jade."

"Scarlet," Axel replied, stepping up to her and extending his hand, which she took.

Her eyes then fell on Roxas standing slightly behind Axel. "I hope he was worth it," she whispered emotionlessly, her eyes rolling to the redhead again.

Axel's expression grew rigid at that comment and he let go of her hand. "He was," he answered coldly, reaching to the smaller blonde's right wrist. "Is he in there?" He nodded towards the glass doors up ahead and the sunlit, empty office behind them.

Scarlet followed his gaze and nodded, "He's secluded himself into the resting room, but he isn't sleeping."

"How long ago has it been since he saw the tape?" Axel asked.

"He watched it right after the funeral 3 hours ago," she answered. "He has been in that room ever since. You won't have an easy job."

Roxas still had his eyes on her and decided for himself that he did not like her.

"What have you been instructed to do anyway?" she wondered, her face still not showing any emotion whatsoever.

"Explain to him what's really going on."

"All of it?" She asked with one arched eyebrow, a seemingly lone proof she possessed emotion akin to humans.

Axel nodded with a small faltering smile. "I've got my job cut out for me."

She nodded, "Indeed." She then turned and walked towards the white door on their left. "If you need any assistance, I'm in my office. Good luck."

Axel nodded thankfully to her and they watched her disappear behind the door.

"She needs a good fuck." Roxas shook his head, rolling his eyes.

Axel chuckled, "Be nice. Come on—" They stepped up to the twin glass doors and pushed the right one open. It opened silently and they entered the enormous, ovular space that was Riku's office.

"You know he hates my guts, right?" Roxas informed the redhead, suddenly unsure of what he was doing here.

"If it's any comfort," Axel replied as Riku suddenly stepped into the room from a door right from his desk, "I attempted to rape Sora once."

"Right, thanks," Roxas whispered now that they moved to approach Riku who was taking place behind his desk, "I feel so much better."

Axel smirked a little and they couldn't but think of how far Riku's desk seemed to be. The CEO himself seemed to be clad in darkness as the bright light falling through the panoramic windows obscured their view of him.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Riku suddenly spoke, "how may I be of service?" He stood up from his seat and walked around the desk to lean against its front for a better look at his visitors. He was stunned a few moments later as he got a good look at who it was standing in the middle of his office. "This can't be— Roxas?!"

"Hiya," the blonde whispered with a small smile.

"But I— I thought you were—?"

Roxas shrugged, "Dead? Yeah… so does everyone else think," he paused and smiled, "I think. You're surely not the only one, don't worry."

Riku then turned to his companion and immediately stood on his feet, his hands balled into fists. "You!"

Axel sighed and closed his eyes, bending his head. "Mr Masako—"

"Where is Sora?!" Riku bellowed, taking a step closer to them, his anger now clearly visible in his eyes.

"Riku!" Roxas intervened, placing himself in between them. "Please, this is not the time! We're here to help!"

"You're with him, Roxas?!" Riku now directed himself to him and Roxas could feel the upcoming punch preparing itself in the man's fists.

"Goddammit, asshole! Will you first listen to us?!" Roxas screamed back, "We know about Sora's disappearance."

"You— What?! You mean you took him!"

"It's of the outmost importance you hear what we have to say, Mr Masako," Axel spoke calmly, walking up to them and reaching into the pocket inside his vest to take out the black card he flashed earlier.

Riku's eyes spread open wide, "You're one of— them…?"

Axel nodded solemnly. "We're here to protect you, sir."

"The NRC?" Riku whispered, reading the card and frowning slightly, "But… they're the company's affiliated research bureau…?"

"Yes," the taller male nodded, "The Nobuhiro Research Council. Only, NRC also stands for Nobuhiro Raid Corps and that's what I'm part of."

"Nobuhiro Raid Corps…?" Riku echoed, his frown only getting deeper. "Who—?"

"To put it quite simply," Axel said, taking out a large envelope from inside his jacket, "we are your private army, put together by the late Ansem Nobuhiro." He handed him the envelope.

Riku's eyes were as big a saucers by now. "A secret— A secret… army?" He looked at the envelope in his hands that had his name on it and then up to Axel again.

"Sir Ansem left you this in our care. He couldn't risk for the Organisation to put it hands on it before you had," Axel quickly explained.

"Organisation? What organisation?" Riku asked, taking out the only sheet of paper inside the envelope. He read the sole line typed down on it and an expression of sudden realisation fell upon his face. He then looked at both Roxas and Ansem, who looked back at him with resolute faces.

"That's why they let you up here…" he whispered, turning around and walking up to his desk to lean on it. "We only buried him this morning and already… big brother is after this company, isn't he? And Sora—" His voice sounded so bitter and disheartened as it broke off that Roxas couldn't but walk up to him and place a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"We'll get him back, Riku," he said softly with an eye on Axel. "But don't give up—"

"How?" Riku whispered back, staring blankly at the letter on his desk now. "Sora is everything to me… and he's suffering, they— they're… oh God…" He closed his eyes and took a breath as the sounds of the video played through his head.

"Mr Masako," Axel spoke, approaching them, "You must know that Ansem was murdered by the Organisation."

Riku's head shot up at that, "What…?" His eyes switched from Axel to Roxas in search of a denial to the previous statement, but he only found silent and paining confirmation no matter where he looked. "No… Then— then…?"

"Ansem knew, Riku…" Roxas whispered. "He knew and that's why he wanted to give you a fighting chance."

Riku took a steadying breath to take it all in calmly, sensing a beginning of untamed rage boiling underneath his skin. The suffocating feeling of helplessness he had felt all morning, ebbed away the longer he stood there and instead a growing desire for revenge swelled inside of him, infecting every last one of his nerves. He turned to the smaller blonde. "Sephiroth even tried to kill you to get to me…"

Roxas smiled uneasily at that, flashing an unsure look the redhead's way. "I'm alright… Axel saved me right on time."

"I only regret that we couldn't keep Mr Nagakawa's kidnapping from happening," Axel whispered, looking to the floor.

Riku now turned to look at him and walked closer. "You were supposed to be sitting out a 15 year sentence, weren't you?" He was silently surprised of how serene he sounded even though his insides were in full eruption.

Axel dared a look Riku's way and even though he could feel anger radiate off of him, he met with calm, questioning eyes. "Yes, I was, sir."

Riku stopped in front him now, staring him dead in the eyes. "How well did you know my step-father?"

An expression of surprise flew over Axel's face and he cleared his throat. "Well enough for him to save me from jail, sir."

Riku rose an eyebrow as he continued to look at him without saying anything. He walked around him, as if evaluating him by his exterior qualities. "I hardly think Ansem could be easily fooled, so I presume he knows what I know about you."

Axel gulped silently and took a breath. "I respected Sir Ansem for the great man he was. Only he saw hope in a outcast like me."

"As I said, Ansem was a man who wasn't easily fooled," Riku murmured, still looking at him calmly.

"No sir, he wasn't," Axel replied, shaking his head sadly at the memory of the man.

Riku observed this. "You seem to have known him well," he whispered, catching his attention. "Tell me," he then said, walking back to his desk, "are you by any chance an orphan?"

Roxas rose his eyebrows at that and also looked at Axel, who had a dumbfounded expression on his features.

"Yes, I am." He then frowned, "How do you know, sir?"

Riku only gave a small lopsided smile. "A hunch," he whispered softly.

Axel came closer to the desk now and Roxas took place next to him. "Sir Ansem owned the orphanage I stayed in."

Riku nodded, "I thought so," and he smiled, though it was strained. "I guess we have a few things in common, then."

Roxas sighed and felt strangely left out. He hadn't known Ansem Nobuhiro, nor had he ever experienced the loss of two parents like both the men standing near him had.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Axel and Roxas exchanged looks and then nodded.

"Is Paine one of you?"

"Paine?" Roxas echoed.

Axel smirked and nodded. "Scarlet is one of the top agents we have."

"Yeah… I thought so," Riku pensively said, "She just strokes me as being someone who can keep secrets extremely well."

"I thought she looked just sex-depraved," Roxas said and shrugged.

Riku laughed; a clear heartfelt sound that, even though fitted as a response to Roxas' statement, entirely stood beside it. It was more a reflection of the obscure wrath that now filled his heart. And as soon as it died, his face consequently darkened, the stroke of joy he suddenly felt now eclipsed. He noted the silent and groping expressions of both males standing before him and suddenly felt the urge to smirk. He could not care less of what they thought of him right now, he wouldn't even assume they'd understand. "So, what happens now?" he demanded, not bothering to look at Axel as he turned to stare out of his panoramic window, overlooking DC without concerning himself about keeping his face from mirroring his internal emotions.

"They told you they were watching you," Axel answered with a nod, "but we do not believe they can in this room; it is constantly controlled for electronic bugs and other spy ware. No, if they're watching you, it must mean that they have an agent close to you. A secondary secretary, an assistant, bodyguard or someone in your close staff."

Riku lifted his eyebrows from their frowning position and slightly turned his head to the side. "So what you're telling me is that everyone working for me can be one of them?"

Axel shook his head, "They wouldn't risk infiltrating more than one person into the high circles of the company. But it wouldn't be worth the trouble to put him or her with your regular staff. He or she would have to be very close to you and integrated for at least a year."

_"How long have you known Xehanort for, Riku?"_

_"Not that long actually. I met him the last time I saw Ansem."_

_"The day we decided to go for DI."_

_"Yeah. Why? Is something wrong?"_

_"There's something about him that unsettles me…"_

_"When I first met him, I felt the same way. Yet I'm positive that he's trustworthy."_

_"Hmmm… If Ansem trusted him… I guess he is."_

"…but it wouldn't be wise to act any differently now that you know of this, just so you do not rise suspicions— Sir?"

Riku's head shot up from where it had been resting against the glass of the window. "Yes, you are right."

Roxas frowned a little, "You seemed to be thinking of something."

"No, it was nothing relevant," he answered, shaking his question off. "Alright, yes of course. Act like nothing happened."

Axel and Roxas exchanged looks, "Yes," the redhead said unsurely, "we still think that the Organisation is oblivious to our existence, which has facilitated our movement through the company. It would be a great asset to our operations if it remained that way."

Riku nodded quickly. "Of course."

Roxas only watched Riku silently as Axel continued to explain what their objectives would be in order to get Sora back. He knew Riku withheld information that may be of crucial importance to the whole operation. He wondered what kept him from not sharing it. And for some reason, he dreaded the worst.

* * *

The door of his house fell shut behind him and he placed his briefcase next to him on the floor, loosening his tie with a tired grimace on his face. Riku untied the laces of his expensive shoes and kicked them aside a moment later, dragging himself into the living room, throwing the jacket of his suit on the sofa and proceeded onwards to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and took out a bag of wok vegetables and some diced chicken, stepped over to one of the cupboards on the other side of the spacious kitchen and took out a large, deep frying pan and placed it on one of the heating plates of the stove on the small island in the middle of the room.

After he had covered up the pan to let his dinner cook tranquilly, he set the table at the other end of the kitchen island. It wasn't until he returned with a pair of wine glasses in his hands that he realised that he had in fact set the table for two.

Before he even noticed, both his hands were bleeding and the crushed glasses hit the floor in a glittering mess. He slowly stared at his cut palms and fingers and then up to the set table.

He suddenly did not feel hungry anymore.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down and ease the shaking of his hands. It did not seem to help and his anger only grew instead of diminishing when he thought of Sora and that peculiar memory that had entered his mind earlier that afternoon.

Sora had expressed doubt towards one of his staff members yesterday and he now wondered if he had been right.

Riku remembered what he had felt when he met Ansem's new assistant.

Dread, incomprehensible mistrust and uneasiness.

Had those feelings been grounded after all?

He knew from experience that Sora had a great sense of these things and he questioned himself about the course of his previous actions now.

Ansem had trusted the man.

_"Ansem was not a man easily fooled."_

Riku firmly believed that Ansem wasn't and couldn't really find a valuable reason to even accuse Xehanort of anything. Hunches and feelings did not constitute a base for accusation.

But sometimes they did justify anger…

There was the fact that Ansem had created the NRC in secret. He could tell himself that it was only normal for a man of Ansem's standing to protect himself like that, yet something still nagged at that theory.

According to Axel, Ansem created the NRC roughly 18 months ago. Riku remembered that it was around that time that Thomas Xehanort came into the picture, referring to what Ansem once told him when he had asked him about his mysterious new assistant.

Had the old man known Xehanort could be…? Was that the reason why—

The front door bell rang.

Riku's head shot up from its staring position at his hands that were being cleaned underneath the kitchen faucet and he winced as the pain in his fingers suddenly cut through him. He turned off the water and yelled; "Be right there!" before taking a dishtowel and gently drying his hands. They stung and throbbed and he realised that he would need to band-aid the deeper cuts in his left index and in the palm of his right hand that were the only ones still shedding blood. He ran to the door with the towel still in his hands and opened it.

A hooded, slim figure stood on his doorstep, dressed in black skin tight jeans, All Stars and a large black sweatshirt. The lips underneath the large shades curled in a swift smile. "It's me," Roxas whispered, taking off the glasses and stepping passed him.

Riku quickly let him in and closed the door. "I thought you said tomorrow."

Roxas slid back his hood and placed the backpack he was wearing on the floor next to Riku's previously discarded shoes. "Got a problem with now?" he asked, walking to the living room and plopping down on the couch. "What happened to your hands?"

Riku looked down at the now soiled towel in his hands and he lifted it slightly to see if he had stopped bleeding by now. "Cut myself," he whispered and made his way back to the kitchen to properly attend to his wounds.

Roxas winced a little and chuckled. He always knew Sora was the unspoken chief cook around here and he felt a pang of gloom as he thought of his best friend and his boyfriend, beginning to wonder if he was really at his place here. He shook his sudden feeling of uneasiness and stood up to walk to the kitchen. "What's cooking?" he asked, leaning against the kitchen door's doorframe, watching Riku carefully placing a band-aid on his left index with his bandaged right hand. "Looks painful."

Riku ignored his question and his statement, now taking out a cleaning brush and a receiver to sweep up the glass from the floor, throwing it into the trash bin in the cupboard underneath the sink. "Did anyone see you?"

Roxas smirked and rolled his eyes, "No, I teleported here."

Riku flashed him an aggravated glare.

"Of course people saw us," Roxas added quickly, holding his hands up in silent sign of surrender, realising his joke was a tad misplaced. "Axel just made sure no one followed me here."

Riku silently walked passed him and into the dining room, halting before the dresser near the dinner table and opened one of its doors, pulled open a drawer that went behind it and took out a snow white laptop that he then placed on the table.

Roxas sat himself at the far end of the table and pulled the laptop his way, opening it and switching it on.

"Sora has a password for that," he said as he came to stand behind Roxas when the screen lit up and turned a soft green.

And indeed, an identification window appeared soon enough, requesting said password.

"That's easy," Roxas whispered, taking out his cell phone. "It's your birthday converted in the first letter of a corresponding button on phone keypad. He told me that when I fried my laptop a few months back and had to use his."

Riku was silently surprised at the ingenious idea and smiled as he thought of Sora, feeling his anger recede for the first time that night and turning itself into purpose.

He would get him back. It didn't matter how, but he would.

And there would be no obstacle too big to stop him.

"So," Roxas spoke, looking at the keypad on his phone, "if your birthday is on December 29th 1984 or 12/29/1984, then that converts itself into…" He placed his fingertips on the keyboard and typed in: ".AAW.WTG", hit the 'enter' button and a new screen came up; a picture of Sora and Riku holding hands as they walked off on a beach with Trooper running beside them in the sand.

"Yeah…" Roxas said, feeling a little bit of an intruder now. "I've been wondering where the dog went," he said instead, as they waited for the computer to finish starting up.

"We sent him off to one of those pet hotels," Riku answered with a slight frown. "I haven't had the time to pick him up since we returned from DI," he whispered, suddenly realising that he missed the dog.

"Ah," was all Roxas said, for the next moment he had opened a link on the workspace labelled as 'Journal'.

"What are we looking for?" Riku asked, placing his hands in the pockets of his pants.

The document holder opened and revealed an impressive amount of files, going over the hundred and apparently dating as far as 14 months ago.

"Is this a diary?" Riku wondered, looking at the dates that named the files.

"I think so," Roxas replied, opening a search query and typing in 'DC Chronicle'. "We don't need to read every entry, just those that can tells us more about Sora's working place."

Riku nodded in understanding and watched as the search generated over 50 results. He frowned at the thought of having to read all of them and shook his head, pointing at an entry that dated from a few weeks before their departure for DI. He wanted to at least limit their violation of Sora's privacy. "Refine the searches to 2 weeks before our vacation."

Roxas did as told, knowing exactly why Riku asked it, feeling the same way. "Okay, that's three weeks ago then…" He scrolled down the page wordlessly, searching for the dates preceding their leave. "Oh, here we go."

_July 5th, 2006_

_When I went to the Chronicle to pick up some stuff I would need on the trip, Mr Skellington –Jack– introduced me to the paper's new Head of Entertainment: Xavier D'Laine. I remember bumping into into him yesterday as I left the paper. I hope he enjoys working with us._

"Do you know that guy?"

Riku shook his head and opened another file, dating from a couple days later. "Only met him once. Let's just keep searching."

_July 10th, 2006_

_Ever since I've decided to hand in my column electronically, I seem to be spending more time at the Chronicle than anywhere else! Oh, I don't know, perhaps the fact that Riku's working on my nerves could be the cause to the hell I'm living in! To think he lost the goddamned tickets! That idiot!_

Roxas snickered, "Ouch, Rik."

"Shut up."

_Now I have to order plane tickets and he knows I hate flying! Sometimes I truly think he's been sent to me with the sole purpose of torturing me… They say love is blind, but I think that in my case it's blind, deaf AND dumb... _

_Yet I wouldn't trade it for the world. The way he still makes me feel after 4 years is so incredible… I love you, you big jerk, and I hope you never forget or it'd be the end of me._

_Anyway, I've had to ask Mr Skellington –Jack– to keep the info about our trip to himself. I think it would be best that way, since I'd be so disappointed if we were to have the press with us too._

"How did that turn out?" Roxas whispered, opening a new file.

Riku shook his head, "Just as he feared."

"Sucks to be you…"

Riku smirked a little and bent his head, "You have no idea how much right now."

_July 13th, 2006_

_What a depressing day. Seriously. Non-stop rain and angry journalists!_

_Today at the Chronicle, Anton Gustav, the sweet cartoonist, got fired. I don't know what the reasons behind this sudden lay-off was, but I heard some people say that Mr D'Laine could've had an influence in Jack's decision. It felt so strange to walk passed Anton's cubicle and seeing it empty. I liked him and his old man stories… he always kept a chocolate and vanilla muffin ready for me._

_Many colleagues have protested against Jack's decision and some of them, so I've heard, even threatened to quit. The Entertainment section is now shaking in its socks, seen as how no one really likes Mr D'Laine. Morgan from Art&Film told me he's a very strict and authoritarian man._

_When I finished giving the printer the guidelines for my next column and packed up the last of my things to head back home, I left my desk with the strangest of feelings in the pit of my stomach. I felt like the Chronicle would never be the way I knew it to be when I'd be back. _

_As I walked to the elevator, I got stopped by Mr D'Laine who wished me a safe trip. I'm certain that I never mentioned that I was to leave tomorrow to him and I briefly wondered if Jack perhaps could've. I frowned at him in polite confusion and he smiled and nodded before turning and returning to his office._

_I think I'll make a personal note to keep an eye on Mr D'Laine when I get back._

Riku was staring at the screen with a deep scowl on his face.

"Do you think…?" Roxas started, but let his voice die out.

"Can you look him up and find out who he is?" Riku whispered, re-reading the last entry.

"I'm on it."

Riku let Roxas type away on the small computer and took out his portable. He dialled a number and walked over to the hall. Something suddenly linked in his head.

_"Nagakawa residence, Michiko speaking."_

"I'm sorry to be calling at this late hour, Michiko…"

_"Riku?"_ The voice that had sounded tired, found a bit of strength, _"Is that you?"_

"Yes, it's me—"

_"What's wrong? Is everything all right?"_

Riku closed his eyes and took a steadying breath, "I just need for you to listen to me and not interrupt. It's important."

Michiko gasped, but did not speak, having heard the gravity of Riku's voice.

"In two hours from now, I will make sure that a jet lands at the airport. I need for you, Kairi, Wakka, Cloud and Leon to board that plane."

Her voice shook when she next spoke, _"R-Riku… what—?"_

"I don't have time to explain now, just promise me you will do as I say."

_"Y-yes—"_

"Good. Please, do not waist time."

Back in the dinner room Roxas called for him.

_"Al-Alright… Is Sora safe?"_

Riku turned his attention back to the phone and nodded, swallowing down the guilt he felt for doing this, "Yes, he is."

There was a silence on the other line and then— _"I will call everyone."_

"Thank you, Michiko."

_"No, thank you for looking after us."_

Riku squeezed his eyes shut and winced, lowering the device from his ear. Her last words had pierced through him with daggers of flame hot shame. He hit the archway when he walked back into the living room.

"I had known it…" he whispered, looking at Roxas still sitting behind the laptop. "I knew, damn it!"

Roxas flashed him an insecure look and then turned the laptop Riku's way. "Xavier D'Laine, Riku," he whispered, showing him a picture of a black haired man with deep blue eyes and sideburns. "I hacked into a government server and found who he really is."

Riku didn't even bother to look at the screen anymore, instead he walked back to the entrance of the house and picked up his briefcase. He placed it on the dinner table across Roxas and took out the envelope Axel handed him earlier that day. He opened it, took out the sheet of paper and then tilted it, letting the picture that still lay inside fall onto the smooth surface of the table. He picked it up and held it in front of Roxas' face. "Is that him?"

Roxas frowned at took the black and white picture in his right hand. "Oh my God…"

Riku now looked at the paper he still held in his hand. He read the sole line typed onto it and felt like he was going to be sick.

_"Me and my war buddies."_

_

* * *

_

ToBeContinued

**_-BDP-_**


	9. Intricate Liaisions

_I honestly thought I'd never get this posted… I'm so sorry, so many things happened over the last few months and life got hectic and pretty crappy. But never even think I'll give up on this, I will finish it, even if the time between chapter is agonizingly long. Again, accept my sincerest apologies._

_Also, this chapter was kind of a revelation for me in terms of how I see Riku and Sora's relationship evolve into. I guess it's safe to say that I was surprised. Maybe you'll be too._

_Please enjoy this chapter. (More angst… yay?)_

* * *

9: Intricate liaisons

* * *

_His eyes fell shut with a happy smile on his handsome face, the touch of soft hands playing on his cheeks and lips._

_Deep, loving blue eyes gazed down upon him, an impish smile growing on his full lips._

_"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are to me right now?"_

_Riku opened his eyes and looked up, letting Sora throw his right leg over his hips so he was straddling him on their white and blue picnic blanket. A big, juicy strawberry dangled right above his lips and he bit in it, suckling on the fruit. Sora bent over and licked the excess juice that trickled down the side of his lover's mouth, licking his way back up to his lips and taking in the rest of the strawberry with a kiss._

_"You know…" Riku murmured with a lazy smile, watching Sora reach for the basket next to his head, "we are in a pretty isolated area of the park…"_

_Sora glanced his way and smiled. How predictable, yet so characteristically Riku; thinking of sex no matter where they were. "Yes, and?" Though he was predictable, it did not mean he would make it boring. Far from it._

_"Ever wondered how it'd be like to do it in such a public place?"_

_Sora arched an eyebrow. "If I recall it correctly, we've done it in the restrooms down that path countless of times."_

_"Yeah, but that was still a covered place." A sly grin formed on the older male's features now. "How about here, naked, with a high risk of being seen…?"_

_"Is that argument supposed to sway me into it?" Sora demanded with an incredulous stare._

_"It'll add a new thrill to the whole experience, babe," Riku murmured, nuzzling a kiss on his lover's bare shoulder._

_Sora mused it over. They were practically in the middle of a bush clearance and no one hardly came to where they were. Still, if anyone riding a bike were to ride by, they would unmistakably see the two of them frolicking behind the bushes._

_Impatient fingertips were drawing circles underneath the hem of his black top._

_"On one condition."_

_Riku now concentrated his attention on his face and smiled, "Anything."_

_Sora rose an eyebrow at that, holding back a smirk. "Are you sure?"_

_"There's nothing I would refuse from you at this point, you know that..." Riku murmured, nuzzling his nose against the brunet's bare right arm and kissing his skin._

_Sora grinned mischievously now, "I do."_

_"So what is it?"_

_"Remember that toy shop you told me about a few weeks back?"_

_Riku nodded, his attention now peaked, "Uh-huh?"_

_Sora turned himself over and lay on the blanket now, looking up at his lover's ever so handsome face. "How do you feel about pleasurable pain?"_

_"Huh?"_

_The younger male laughed at the dumbfounded expression he received and placed both his hands on each side of the blonde's face. "I want to do a role-play."_

_Riku's expression turned into a silent wince at that. "And let me guess, I just agreed to have my butt cheeks flagellated, right?"_

_Sora giggled, pulling him down on him for a kiss. "I will make sure to minimize the reddening of those beautiful cheeks of yours."_

_"Sora..." he whined, but immediately stopped when one of Sora's hands slid into his hair and closed around a few locks before pulling rather harshly._

_"It's Master Sora or just Master, pretty slave," he throatily whispered into his right ear, licking the lobe sensually afterwards._

_Riku gasped at the sudden pain, but soon stilled at the erotic murmur and caress that followed. He gulped, feeling the beginnings of an arousal spilling itself within him and he nodded, suddenly wanting his little boyfriend all the more. "Yes, my Master."_

_Sora nodded and released him, locking eyes. The intensity of his desire was mirrored in Riku's eyes and he smirked darkly, absolutely loving this new sense of power he had over him. He simply looked at him for the longest of times, just letting his eyes roam the lean, yet muscular features of the man that had shared his romantic life for over 3 years and licked his lips, shivering internally at the thought of him naked and sweating from their shared pleasure. He had the fullest intention of seeing him writhe and moan while bathing in sweat tonight. To have his dominant and passionate lover quiver underneath his touch almost made his mouth water at that delicious thought._

_"I want you naked," Sora commanded, propping himself up on his elbows to have a better view. "But don't rush, slave," he smirked as Riku scrambled to remove his shirt, nearly ripping it in the process, "I want to cherish every second of it…"_

* * *

The large, main street outside the window was dark and abandoned, all houses in vicinity quiet. Most of the inhabitants of Ohalland Lane were either asleep or preparing themselves to go to bed. Only behind the curtains of house nr 9 was still light and movement to be witnessed. And every now and then, a dark silhouette could be seen peering onto the street, looking left and right.

"Riku, you should try and sit down. Axel said he'd call when he'd be on his way over here."

Riku let the curtain slip from his fingers, took a step back, but couldn't keep himself from staring at the window. At this point he felt himself on the brink of insanity, longing for Sora so much he couldn't think straight anymore. If it hadn't been for Axel calling earlier to keep him inside the house, Riku was pretty sure he'd gone out and start searching for his boyfriend himself. He had told himself that by following the clues Ansem left him with that picture he'd get to the monsters that had taken Sora away faster, but it was the wait for answers that was driving him closer and closer to committing homicide.

Roxas looked up from his research on Sora's laptop and saw Riku standing there, not talking, nor moving, just standing there, hands clenching and relaxing at his sides. He had never seen Riku the way he was now… it was downright scary, to be honest. "This is going to sound stupid right now, but are you okay?" Roxas asked carefully.

"Fine," was his short reply, his lips barely moving. "Have you found out anything?"

A frustrated grunt escaped the blonde and he sighed, "It's not that easy, Rik," Roxas replied, scratched the back of his head with a pen. "That picture is over 30 years old and anything older than 25 is 'HC'"

"Hard Copy."

"Exactly, there were no digital databases back then, so everything was printed out and there's no digital trace of it."

Riku threw his head back and took a breath, keeping his erupting anger inside. He knew Ansem wouldn't have given him the picture without a purpose and if he did have a purpose it would not lead him to a dead end. "There's something we must be missing."

Roxas shook his head in dismay, leaning back against his chair. "Affiliated company, enrollment document, recommendations, reports… I just can't seem to find anything about Ansem's military career. It's like they got—"

"Erased,' Riku finished.

"Yeah," Roxas said, shrugging, "It's like he never went to the army."

"Wait," Riku suddenly whispered, understanding something, "say that again."

Roxas blinked, "What? He never went to the army?"

"No," the older male softly said, a smile forming on his face, "he didn't."

"Okay…?"

Riku smirked and walked back to the dinner table. "Not much people know this, but Ansem wasn't a native of this country."

Roxas stood up from his seat behind the computer and let Riku take place. "He wasn't?"

Riku shook his head and reached for the picture that lay on the table next the computer. "Look at their clothes. Ansem is only wearing a military jacket over his civilian clothes. One of them is only wearing a shirt and his pants… Wait." He turned the picture around and found a date on the bottom right. "Christmas 1974?"

"Oh!" Roxas suddenly exclaimed, "That's the day the Separatist War ended. The one that opposed the Eastern Unionist Alliance and the Western Independentists Movement of New Glymer. Asteria and Coveness were stuck right in the middle of it."

"Thanks for the short history lesson," Riku said, eying the blonde with little surprise and concealed amazement at how much the guy actually seemed to know. "So, if I remember my own history classes correctly, the soldiers on this picture are Asterians, I recognize the setting sun emblem on their shirts. And I know we won that war."

"Yeah," Roxas nodded. "That makes Ansem a Covenetian by birth. And I'm guessing that he was a spy for the Asterian army."

Riku agreed, "Which would explain the air of camaraderie I get from the picture."

"And also why his military record was blank."

Riku nodded. "We can now figure out who the other four John Doe's are, right?"

Roxas nodded and took place behind the computer again, with Riku now looking over his shoulder. "We figured out that D'Laine was a corporal during the war and that he was in command of a small squadron of infiltrators in enemy territory. I think we have his team on that picture."

"Ansem was their Covenetian contact?"

Roxas nodded, still searching for more information. "I wonder what made them have a fall out… War usually forges a life long bond between people who served and survived together."

Riku shook his head, "That's not our concern right now, do you have names?"

"Hold on, I'm getting there…"

Riku's phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket and he took the device in his hands, not recognizing the number on the display. "Yes, Masako here."

There was a cracking sound on the other line and then someone sighed into the receiver, sniffling softly.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

"_Baby?_"

Riku immediately recognized the voice and bolted for the kitchen, a flower of hope blossoming deep inside. "Sora?" he whispered, keeping his voice low. "Babe, is that you?"

_"Yeah… it's me…"_

A smile of relief formed on the blonde male's lips and he held his phone tighter. "Are you alright?"

_"I miss you so much…"_

"Did they hurt you?"

_"I wish I could hold you right now…"_

Riku bit his lower lip and closed his eyes, feeling exactly the same. Sora's voice was so small, making him ache all the more… "I won't rest before I've found you, I swear."

Sora's voice was soft and affectionate when next he spoke, _"I know you won't."_

Riku nodded determinately, as if Sora could see him right now.

_"And that's exactly what I'm afraid of."_

Riku fell silent, his sudden enthusiasm disappearing as quickly as it came. He frowned and shook his head. "What are you talking about?" he whispered in a low tone, bordering angry.

"_You need to stop looking for me._"

Everything came crashing down on him with that one sentence. All of his hope and pain, frustration and anger, his love… it all threatened to explode within him. He breathed out shakily and reached out a hand to the door of the fridge in search of something to lean against as his heart suddenly hemorrhaged. "What…?" he gasped, "Why are you asking this of me…?" he whispered, his eyes shut tight as the pain inside escaladed further.

_"Remember the times when you took care of me and looked after me when we were kids?"_

Riku shook his head and bit back a sob, "What do they have on you?" He gritted his teeth, "I can't let this go. I can't let _you_ go…"

Roxas entered the kitchen then, his curiosity having gotten the better of him. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Riku leaning against the fridge in obvious emotional distress.

_"I wouldn't be able to live knowing they ended your life because you relentlessly searched for me."_

"You—?" Riku breathed back, hurt by the lack of consideration Sora seemed to have in his regard, "You think I won't…?"

_"They won't hurt me… I have something they want…"_ Sora interrupted, holding back his own sobs desperately at this point.

"Me," Riku figured, throwing his head back to keep his tears at bay. "It's me…"

There was a silence on the other line in which soft sobs could be heard. Soon they were both crying over the phone, the physical distance painfully present.

_"You'll live, baby… That's all I want now…"_

"I **_can't_** do this…!" Riku whispered harshly, letting his tears fall silently. "Dammit Sora, how can you ask—!"

By then, Roxas bit his lower lip and threw his head back, keeping his tears from falling before turning around to re-enter the living room.

_"They told me they'd let you have whatever Ansem left you, his fortune, possessions and whatnot. All except the company."_

"And you…" Riku whispered, heartbroken.

Sora sniffled. _"I love you."_

Riku closed his eyes shut again and shook his head, "I want to see you." He wiped his tears away like an angry child would, "I need to see you!"

There was a short silence on the other side and Riku almost wondered if Sora had hung up on him. The next thing he said made all his blood run cold_. "We left __Astoria__ a while ago…I've been locked up on a plane with this phone, Riku and I don't know where I'm headed, but morning is dawning through the windows…"_

"Fuck!" Riku cried in sorrowful frustration. Sora was probably halfway across the globe now on his way to God-knows-where…

They cried again, not saying anything, desperately hanging on to the supposititious feeling of togetherness the phone provided them.

_"Just so you know,"_ Sora's voice whispered after a while and after most of their tears had dried, _"It's not your fault."_

Riku took a breath, holding back a new waterfall of tears. "How can you say that?"

_"Because it is the truth and beating yourself up about it, won't change anything…"_ Sora paused and Riku imagined him smiling a trembling smile right about now, _"You're a good man, Riku."_

That had him sobbing all over again and he slid his back down against the fridge until he was sitting on the floor with his knees drawn up close to his body. "What will I tell your mother? Or the others for that matter?"

_"How much I love them,"_ Sora replied, _"and that I'm sorry."_

Riku frowned slightly, "Why 'sorry'…?" He then fell silent as he understood. "You didn't…?"

_"You're a good man, baby,"_ he repeated, his tears coming through his words, _"and I love you more than anything."_

"Goddamn it, no!" Riku bellowed, standing again. "You didn't, Sora!" he whimpered desperately.

_"There's so much I would do just because of you…"_ Sora whispered back.

"Me too!" Riku responded hotly, "I'd sell my soul for you!"

Sora giggled, but there was no heart in it_. "I know… but this way we'll both live, that's all I want."_

Riku didn't reply, his sorrow and anger having consumed him whole now. He couldn't, wouldn't be able to say goodbye to his best friend, partner and lover. He just would not do it. He would not let it end like this. He would not give up. Not now, not ever.

_"I'll always love you."_

-click-

* * *

_Three months later…_

The foamy waves crashed onto the shore, the ocean breeze caressing his features comfortingly. The air was warm and carried the screeching cries of the seagulls over the land. His naked toes sank away in the soft white sand as he walked and stared at the sea.

The house on the hill behind him stood silent, windows reflecting the blazing after summer sun, lighting them up like beacons for lost ships at sea.

In the distance a dog barked and he looked up to see the black animal run up to him with a red ball in its mouth, ready to have it thrown away again. A sudden gust of wind blew his black bucket hat away, revealing the short, silvery hairdo that it had been concealing. The dog dropped the ball in front of its boss's feet and ran after the hair garment, happily jumping after it as the wind made it twirl and flip in the air.

He chuckled slightly and watched the pet amuse itself for a while before sitting himself down on the sand, facing the sea. It always made him feel peaceful and never judged him, letting him sit there without asking for anything in return.

Three months had passed and every day seemed to crawl by less painfully than the last, but he would never be the same again. Nothing would.

He glanced at his watch and sighed softly, beginning to stand up. "Trooper!" he called after the dog, seeing it catch the hat finally. "We're going boy!" He walked to the cliff that enclosed the small private beach and up the stairs that led to the grand house on top.

* * *

"Nervous?"

Wakka took a small breath and shrugged, rearranging the golden ruche tie around his neck for the umpteenth time. "Nah man… Easy sailing, ya?"

Riku chuckled and tapped his friend's hand away from the tie, to fix it himself. "Right. You're only like getting married. No big deal."

Wakka's complexion began to turn green and Riku briefly wondered if he should try and get him to sit down or keep a bucket under his chin. "Hey bro, relax."

"This is it, man," the redhead whispered, swallowing as he looked out of the panoramic window and to the sea. "I'm getting married."

Riku smiled and stood behind him, tapping him on his right shoulder. "Yeah… are you ready?"

He turned around to face his friend and nodded, a healthy color having returned to his face. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"Alright," Riku grinned and walked out of the large bedroom and into the hall where he met with Selphie, wearing a gorgeous satin, strapless, golden dress. Her hair was done up in an elegant low knot.

"The groom says he's ready," Riku told her.

She sighed and bit her lower lip, "Kairi is not doing too well…"

Riku glanced at the door down the hall, "Is she dressed?"

"Yeah…" she whispered back.

Riku walked passed her and knocked on the door, "Kairi? Can I come in?"

There was no answer and he looked back at Selphie who shrugged helplessly. Riku took a breath and opened to the door.

Kairi was standing on the balcony, overlooking the ocean in her ivory dress. Her hair fell down her back in a cascade of auburn curls with glittering golden pieces and ivory colored flowers in them. He could hear her sniffling as she gathered her enormous dress and began to turn around.

"Kairi, you look beautiful."

She froze and let go of her dress, standing there with a sad smile on her face. Although she was now 4 months pregnant, the dress, that had been loosened in the back, did not show any evidence of it. Her violet eyes shimmered with unshed tears and she tried to blink them back. "Thanks."

Riku took his hands out of his pockets and walked up to her to give her a comforting hug.

"Sora helped planning this day…" she whimpered, looking up to spare her make up. "It's just not going to be the way I hoped it to be."

Riku closed his eyes and pressed a careful kiss on her cheek before taking a step back to look at her. "I'm sure that where ever he is right now, he's thinking of you on this day."

She smiled slightly and hugged him again. "How are you holding up?"

Riku shook his head, "Don't worry about me, this is your day. I'll manage."

"Thank you for doing this; lending us your house."

"What was I supposed to do with all the space anyway?" Riku replied, shrugging.

"Thank you, I know how hard this day is going to be." She let go of him and ran her right hand through his millimetred hair, still not used to not seeing the abundant locks there. "For the both of us."

"You just make sure you get Wakka through it, I'll take care of the rest," Riku said, smiling back.

Kairi laughed and nodded, understanding the underlying reason for Riku's evasive answer and thanking him for it silently. "It'll be alright."

"Yeah," Riku nodded. "It will."

She took a breath and cleared her throat nervously, "So, uhm, is Wakka ready?"

"Yup," Riku said, shaking his watch out of the left sleeve of his black jacket to check on the time. "And it's almost time for the show. No more stalling, ok? I don't think the shrimp and the ice bar can hold out much longer."

Kairi let him throw an arm over her shoulders and leaned against him as they walked to the door. She pouted, "You sure?"

Riku laughed, "Positive, now go get married already!"

The door opened and Selphie stepped in, jumping in surprise as they stood right behind the door. "Oh! Everything alright?"

"Yeah," Kairi said with a smile, adjusting the grip she had on her dress.

"Ok, then. Wakka's already gone to stand at the altar," Selphie informed them. "And I need to go take my position as well." She smiled at them a last time and then rushed down the hall towards the stairs.

"You should go too," Kairi whispered, her voice slightly shaking as she took a breath. "We can't start without our best man."

"Good luck, beautiful." Riku began to walk away backwards from her and winked. "I'll see you at the end of the aisle."

She took another breath and nodded, willing her tears to stay at bay and her mind to stop thinking of the one person who's absence was painstakingly evident in that one moment.

* * *

Nightfall had settled itself on the party and the great garden behind the Masako Mansion had been transformed into a fairytale paradise. 50 round tables with white and golden decorations and centerpieces stood on the terrace part of the garden, all divided by a white aisle that led down the few steps and ended on the lawn, on which the white dance floor and the stage for the band were in the background of an enormous white with gold pavilion that had been raised over said dance floor and stage. In addition to the regular flora that the garden had, bushes with exotic white flowers and lights had been imported and aligned on the border of the oval terrace and the stairs to add to the golden aesthetic quality of the main theme.

Behind the pavilion was the pool, which had been shut off for the occasion.

Riku smiled at the girl pouring him a martini through an ice sculpture. He waited for his drink to have poured itself into his glass and then walked on, through the gigantic glass doors that led to the terrace turned restaurant for the evening. He nodded at some guests that passed him by and walked out into the refreshing evening, finding his place at the large family table on his left.

It had been a nice ceremony on the beach, with lots of happy tears and emotional moments. He smirked as he remembered how Wakka's face had turned beet red as he tried so hard not to cry. He was definitely going to be holding that one against him next time.

His eyes swooped over the guests and it seemed that everyone was pleased. He turned to look at the dance floor on his left and silently watched how his two best friends were lost in each other's eyes as the rest of the world seemed to disappear completely around them, only leaving both of them dancing a slow waltz in the middle of the empty floor.

He smirked; both of them had gotten extremely good at it, considering the fact that they sucked at it so badly at the beginning of their lessons. It seemed that their feet had gotten the time to heal after all.

Riku finished his martini in one gulp and sat there looking at his empty glass for a moment, contemplating to have something stronger to drink.

He could feel their eyes on him, poking against his skin.

**_"Masako steps down as head of Nobuhiro Corp…"_**

**_"Famous Gay couple breaks up…"_**

**_"Where has Sora Nagakawa gone?"_**

**_"A new directive force for the Giant Corp…"_**

**_" Masako's_****_ Brutal Departure: Calculated or Forced?"_**

For three months he hid here, in his mother's old mansion, his safe place, his haven of solitude. Surprisingly, without Sora there, his departure from DC had been relatively easy. After he broke off any ties with the company his step father left him with, it hadn't been too difficult to blend in with the shadows once he had explained his reasons to those maniacs of the press and his flabbergasted staff.

He regretted betraying Ansem like this, but he didn't see any other choice.

Riku looked up from his glass and stared into the crowd at nothing in particular, taking the assaulting gazers head on. He was not going to justify himself nor would he sit here and be taken pity of.

He definitely needed a stronger drink.

"This was such a nice wedding…"

Riku turned his head to the right and found Sora's mother standing there, looking beautiful in her midnight blue dress. An elegant scarf was resting on her neck and she flipped it back as she sat herself next to him on an empty seat. She took a small sip of her champagne and then put the glass on the table, her eyes fixed on the couples now dancing with the bride and groom on the dance floor. "It's a relief to see those two finally married."

Her whispering voice barely overcame the music of the band, but Riku had heard the happiness and the underlying pain in her voice. He took hold of her hand lying on the table and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad you came, Michiko," he told her, their eyes meeting in a silent sign of comfort.

She laid her other hand on top of his and nodded, managing a soft smile. "I'm glad I came. Family should stick together, especially on days like these."

Riku could see the tears shimmering in her eyes in the dim lights of the tea candles on the table and he reached out for her, taking her in his arms. He didn't know what to say anymore. It had been excruciatingly hard to tell Sora's parents the news that their son had decided to leave everything and everyone he held dear to pursuit a life somewhere on the other side of the earth. He had apologized, begged their forgiveness for letting Sora get away and turn his back on his friends and family. Not that he had used those exact same words, but in the eyes of his parents, that was exactly what Sora had done. Only Riku knew better, but telling them that Sora had been kidnapped would mean admitting that he had been blackmailed and that would put his family at risk.

It was one of the terms of the deal.

Once he had stepped down, he had been forced to renounce his search for Sora at the risk of having his friends and family harmed.

He shut his eyes tightly and his grip on her tightened as he fought down his tears, reminding himself that Sora sacrificed himself to have this woman safe and sound.

But when would they stop being goddamned martyrs? When would it finally end?

"You should come with us to Thailand tomorrow."

Riku let go of her and smiled, "I can't, I have a business meeting with possible shareholders the day after tomorrow."

Michiko placed a soft palm against his left cheek and looked at him with a gaze filled with compassion and love. "My heart tells me that Sora will come back one day, but then I look at you and I realize that perhaps it is time to move on too. You've taken over a local marketing enterprise and worked so hard these past 3 months… "

Riku only stared at her without saying anything.

"This whole wedding tells me the same thing," she continued, letting him go and clasping her hands in her lap. "Life goes on even with the loss."

She moved to stand again, but Riku held her back by her arm and shook his head. "He will be back, Michiko. Hold on to that. I do too."

She sobbed softly and smiled, nodding. "Yes," she whispered, taking the napkin he held out for her. "Thank you."

He watched her walk away and join her husband at their table. Guilt began to gnaw at him and he looked at his empty glass.

"I will bring him back. Even if it's the last thing I do."

He stood and grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, descended the steps towards the dance floor, all the while chucking the golden liquid down his throat. He halted next to Wakka and Kairi who were now slow dancing.

Wakka turned his head to him, "Hey, bro. Something wrong?"

"Hey," Kairi whispered, head resting against her husband's chest, a dreamy expression on her face.

Riku smirked and scratched the back of his head. "I just wanted to wish you guys all the luck again."

"You leaving?" Wakka asked, his brows furrowing together.

Riku looked at his watch just so he could avoid the accusing stare he received from the both of them. "You know me," he chuckled embarrassedly, "I'm always busy."

Kairi cocked her head to the side a little, letting go of Wakka. "Dance with me," she then said, taking Riku's hand in hers and leading them away from Wakka, who went to go get a drink at the bar inside.

Riku followed obediently and took her by the waist.

"I am going to Thailand tomorrow."

Riku simply nodded and kept his mouth shut. He knew better than to talk back when Kairi got that mother hen tone in her voice. Like now.

"Don't you dare do something moronic before I come back."

Riku was honestly taken by surprise, but quickly covered it up and held her closer, shaking his head. "Now why would you think I would do something moronic?"

She looked up at him and her pretty violet eyes had narrowed themselves into slits, silently asking him who the hell he took her for.

He laughed and held her close again, "Don't worry so much about me, Kai."

"Don't say that," she whispered softly. "I have to worry about you, since you don't seem to be doing that for yourself…"

He kissed her on her curls and smiled into her hair. He knew that his next words would be a string of half truths and half lies. Yet, somehow, he couldn't bring himself to care anymore. "It's been three months since Sora left. He made sure that I wouldn't be able to find him. He broke my heart and yours. I thought that I'd die from the pain, but surprisingly it's getting better… honestly. I'm not saying that he won't be back, but I can't promise to put my life on hold just because of that."

"So…you've moved on?"

Riku heard the accusation in her voice and sighed, "Not quite yet, but I'm getting there."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Promise…"

"Promise what?"

"To forgive him," Kairi said, sniffling softly.

"What—?"

"I can hear it in your voice…" she said, still holding him close as she leant against his chest. "It gets so cold when you're angry. It's the same one you used to use to talk about your brother…"

Riku fell silent after that, realizing that he indeed felt a little aggravated. He hadn't been aware of it as he talked. "I'll try," he simply stated, hoping that would be the end of it. He let go of her and turned away, leaving her on the dance floor with a suspicious expression on her face.

* * *

Riku walked into the house and into the income hall, where he met Cloud talking to a an elderly man. They seemed fully submerged into their conversation and so he thought to just pass by until Cloud held him back from walking up the stairs.

"Riku, hey!"

Riku turned, holding back a sigh, "Cloud."

The blonde flashed a white smile and stepped up a few steps. "Yeah. Hey I was going to ask you if you were alright, but I didn't get the chance before. Are you turning in?"

"I think so, the party is starting to unwind and I have an early start tomorrow."

Cloud nodded in understanding. "Just thought I'd say how much I appreciate everything you've done for Kairi and us over the last couple of months."

Riku pulled him into a brotherly hug and chuckled, "Don't mention it. Enjoy your holiday."

Although he could clearly sense that something was a little off with him, Cloud decided to put it off to fatigue and dissimulated grief, which were both acceptable reasons. "Alright, goodnight then."

Riku smiled and continued his ascent to the upper floors of his estate, leaving Cloud frowning in silent concern as he opened his right hand, unfolding the note Riku left in it during the hug.

* * *

Once the door to the master bedroom was closed and the sounds of the party 2 storey below were drawn out enough for him to hear his own thoughts, Riku walked over to the balcony on the opposite side of the door from which a cool ocean breeze billowed the transparent white curtains.

A silent figure stood there already, looking over the private beach beneath and the sea beyond, smoking a cigarette through a theatre length cigarette holder. Her head turned his way when he approached.

"Did you enjoy the party?"

She remains silent as she takes another drag out of her smoke. It then takes a few unsettling moments before she finally speaks. "Riku. I'm not going to ask it again—"

Riku leans next to her on the railing, his jaw clenched in a determined stare, "Then don't."

The woman turns to him fully now and looks at him for what seems hours before she silently turns and walks back into the room.

Barely five seconds later screams erupt from downstairs.

Riku runs into his room and towards his walk-in closet, grabs a bag that lay there readily and is out the door a moment later.

* * *

20 to 30 commandos in black outfits storm through the house, startling all the guests and causing panic as they make their way to the backyard.

People shouting and pushing to get out; the ice sculpture at the bar falling over and crashing onto the white marble floor.

"Wakka…?" Kairi was looking around her in slight panic, suddenly finding herself left behind and confused in the ongoing chaos.

"Kairi!"

She turns around and away from the guests fleeing inside the house, bumping into her brother, who grabs her arm and leads her in the direction of the stairs at the back end of the garden, passed the pool, leading down to the private beach. "What's going on?! Where's Wakka?"

"Come on, we need to get out of here quickly, the others are waiting for us on the beach!"

"But—"

Her voice was drawn out by the roaring sound of an helicopter flying over their heads, causing her dress and hair to flail around her in the gust of wind its passing created. The chopper flew away from them and in the direction of the ocean ahead and Kairi could've sworn to have seen—

"Riku…"

"Come on, sis!"

Although her feet followed him as they made their way down the stairs and onto the sand, her eyes never left the receding helicopter in the distance, flying away with a piece of her heart.

* * *

_Monaco_

The azure of the Mediterranean Sea stretched itself for miles and miles on end before him as he stepped out onto the 3rd floor terrace of the Villa for breakfast, sitting himself calmly at the round white table laden with French delicatessen, croissants and freshly made orange juice.

"Good morning."

Sora didn't reply to the man sitting opposite from him, instead he just took a sip of his juice, turning his head to stare out to the magnificent view. Every morning it was the same, the same contradicting reality his life had now become. Everything around him screamed peace and beauty, but nothing quelled the agony and torment of his imprisonment.

"Kadaj sends his regards as usual," the man said, paying no mind to Sora's silence, "he's excited to see you at the upcoming soiree. You seem to have left him with a lingering remembrance last time, hm?"

Sora's hands tightened around the glass he was still holding.

"Nevertheless," he sighed, "I imagine the time you spend at the gallery excuses your… reticence towards his affections?"

The glass fell to the floor.

"Marie, please come and clean this up?"

A maid came rushing onto the balcony and quickly cleaned the juice and glass from the floor.

Eyes tightly closed in a desperate attempt to keep his emotions under control, Sora took a breath and managed to put it beside him. He then reached for the bread basket.

_"Le Monde"_ was greeting him on the other side of the table, folded open for him to read the Headline of the renowned French daily newspaper.

**_"Death of the Golden Child : Tragic end of the Masako Line"_**

_La Mort de Riku Masako – Guillaume Cachet_

The croissant he had been holding dropped to the floor as he read it, his breath catching in his throat.

"You promised!"

The paper got folded up and a questioning expression came to rest upon the man's face. "I'm afraid I missed something here, what are you talking about, Sora?"

Sora stood suddenly knocking his chair down as he did. "You wouldn't hurt him! If I came along…" he was screaming through his tears now, pointing a finger in the man's direction. "You would leave him live his life if I came with you! You killed him! I should've known your word meant shit, Thomas!"

The man cocked his head to the side for a moment and then looked at the paper he still held in his right hand. "This?" he asked with a surprised look, pointing at the headline. "I didn't do anything to kill him, trust me." He calmly took a sip of his coffee after that, folding the paper open again.

"Trust you? You expect ME to trust YOU?!" Sora bellowed, slamming his hands on the table, causing everything on it to bounce up slightly. "You forced me away from everything that I love!"

Xehanort put the paper down this time and gave him a blank look. "Calm down."

The sugar bowl hit the raised parapet behind him.

"Sora—!"

"THE FUCK DID YOU DO, SON OF A BITCH?!"

Xehanort had risen out of his chair now, nodding his head to one of his men standing nearby. The man grabbed onto Sora from behind, immobilizing his arms.

"LET GO OF ME!" he yelled, kicking with his legs as he was dragged away and back inside of the house. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME! ASSHOLE! YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED RIKU!"

As Sora's cries drowned into the house, Xehanort turned back to pick up the paper, a calculating expression spreading over his features.

"How unexpected…"

* * *

**_-BDP-_**


	10. Dead to the world

_This chapter is dedicated to all of you who've been bugging me with e-mails for this to come out already! Here it is, and I must warn some of you out there that this is a very depressing chapter. We're going to check out what happened to Sora in the past three months following his disappearance._

**_This chapter contains non-con and rape, so those of you who are sensitive to these themes please don't read._**

* * *

10: Dead to the world

* * *

The world could end now.

The kiss felt cold and slimy, like it always did, but this time he didn't even shudder at the unwanted contact. Sora just lay there, rolled on his side; abdomen covered in streaks of semen, some of it his own.

Clothing rustled in the quiet night as it got put on hastily and Sora _just laid there_, his eyes staring at the full moon outside the balcony windows, but seeing nothing.

The door whispered shut and Sora didn't move, just lay there, naked and alone.

Dead to the world.

He remembered the sun, shining brightly through the small windows of the plane, waking him up from his tears induced slumber after his last phone call to Riku. The phone was still lying in his hand and the insurmountable urge to call him again had taken him over, only to find that the device had run out of battery. He had cried more tears after that, the fear of not knowing what was to happen to him or where he had landed overwhelming him. The makeshift bed he had been in stretched from one side to the other, leaving very little room in the small space he had been confined in. Sora had crawled over to the nearest window and looked outside. The plane had been descending for a while now and he had seen them flying from the sea over to the land.

45 minutes later, he watched as they manoeuvred passed a French flag.

_"Bienvenue a l'aéroport Nice Côte d'Azur—"_

He was in France. They had kidnapped him all the way to France.

Two men were walking down the Arrivals Hall with him, one on each side. When he'd been let off the plane, one of them had calmly flashed the gun underneath his vest at him, reminding him who he was with and to not even think of trying anything. Sora had silently acted accordingly and followed them obediently even if he felt he'd faint from his growing anxiety. There were so many people around; none of them were even paying attention to him or the two imposing men he was flanked by. Wasn't there a 'help' sign plastered on his forehead for all to see?

They left the hall and walked towards a new boarding hall and a helicopter platform. An imposing black helicopter was waiting for them and he was ushered in, sandwiched between his two bodyguards on the small bench, flying away for the Principality of Monaco 5 minutes later.

He couldn't hold his tears back anymore and they escaped silently. There was no point in hiding them now; they had taken everything away. He sniffled and was surprised to see a handkerchief fill his watery view, held out by the hulky brown haired man on his right.

"Take it," his voice sounded gruff through the headphones he was wearing. It wasn't really commanding, but he took the tissue anyway.

Sora wiped away his tears and cleaned his nose. He took a breath and closed his eyes, willing himself to stop shaking.

"Hey kid."

A hand landed on his right knee and he instinctively jerked away.

"Hey."

He looked at the man who had given him the tissue with distrusting eyes, caught between the two of them.

"My advice to you is to get over it," he said calmly, his blue eyes gentle orbs in his bulky face. "The live you led this far is over, you won't ever return."

It wasn't quite a threat, but more a factual statement, which made his situation worse for it almost annihilated any hope of him seeing his homeland and family permanently.

But Sora kept his eyes fixed on the other man defiantly, refusing to even let go of that last shred of hope inside.

"Bloody hell Aeleus, who _cares_?" the man on Sora's left rolled his eyes turning his head to look at the scenery outside. "Jesus man."

Aeleus huffed and smiled softly, but didn't say anything, letting a strange silence to fill the small space.

Sora slowly took his former position on the bench between the two men, warily watching both of them as they both looked out of their respective windows. He realized with some shock that these men had done jobs like these before and that whatever awaited Sora wasn't something they wished for anyone.

He gulped as he stared at his joined hands in his lap, "What are they going to do to me?" he whispered, trying with all his might to keep his voice from trembling.

The blonde man with the pierced ears grunted in annoyance. "Holy fuck…."

Sora could definitely hear the apprehension in the guy's voice and a new found panic bubbled up in his throat. _Just remember, you're keeping Riku safe with this._

"We don't know, kid," Aeleus answered apologetically, his eyes soft. "We only had orders to bring you here."

"Oh..." Sora whispered with a nod. He wouldn't have taken any comfort in whatever other answer they would've given him anyway. As long as he could preserve Riku's memory alive in his mind, he'd survive anything. And that was a given.

They all felt the engine losing altitude a few moments later.

"Come on, let's get this done," the blonde man murmured deep in his throat as he shifted to open the door once the helicopter landed on a private helipad on top of an enormous villa.

Aeleus gave Sora a court nod and he followed his companion outside.

The bright Mediterranean sun blinded him when he stepped out, the oppressing heat nearly choking him with the first gulp of Monegasque air he breathed in.

"Is that him?"

Sora peered from behind his two guards at the person whose gruff voice he just heard. It was a freakishly tall, black haired young man with rich green eyes and high cheek bones. He couldn't have been older than Riku, with his big hands resting on his narrow hips and a soft smile playing on his full lips as he playfully tried to look at Sora from between the two imposing men.

"Hey there."

Sora froze slightly, standing upright as he approached him with a stretched out hand. Sora stared at it with apprehension, taking a step back.

He kneeled in front of the brunette, flashing him one of the whitest smiles he had ever seen.

"If this was any other situation, I'd ask you to not be frightened," he whispered softly, his eyes reflecting the gentleness of his voice. "But I know you probably are already, so all I can do is try and relieve you of it, even if it's just temporary."

Sora took a breath and found to his horror that tears were threatening to spill again. He braced his left arm against his right one, hugging himself as he tried to keep himself from breaking down. He had promised himself that he'd be strong… for himself, for his family, for Riku…

"It's okay."

Sora sniffled and turned away, biting his lower lip. What did he know?! How could he even say that it was okay? It wasn't okay, nothing would ever **_be_** okay!

"Here. Take this."

The pristine white handkerchief was swaying slightly in the refreshing breeze and Sora only stared at it from the corner of his eye, wanting to run from this man with the kind eyes and understanding smile, from the henchmen just standing there and letting it all happen, from the unfairness, the injustice and powerlessness he felt taking over, making him fall on his knees.

"Nothing will **_make _**you forget him, so don't **_let yourself_** forget him."

Those words, whispered comfortingly against his left ear, had helped him through the next three months, given him strength and endurance when everything persisted on crushing his spirit.

_-3 Months later-_

A soft, wet cloth gently swept over his shivering body, closely followed by warm and calming hands. A sigh escaped him and he closed his eyes with a sigh, expulsing the angst and disgust he felt with it.

"Another one, huh?"

Sora nodded, but didn't speak, still entranced by the pale enchantment the moon outside provided.

Tender lips descended upon his left hip and he winced, the bite mark still fresh and stinging.

"At least this time he didn't tear your skin--"

"I don't know how much longer—"

"I'm here."

Sora sniffled and curled himself up in a tight ball. "I can't," he whimpered. "I can't anymore, Nate…"

Nate crawled over his body and settled behind him, spooning him against him. "I'm so sorry…"

The tears now flew unchecked from his eyes as Nate placed his arms around him and one hand on his hair, stroking it gently. "His memory was the only thing that kept me from completely dying inside. What am I supposed to do now? What is left for me in this life?"

"Your family, your friends…"

Sora moaned quietly and shook his head. "I can't face them, not anymore, not after all of this—"

Nathan closed his eyes and held him closer. Over the past three months, he had come to care for Sora like one would for a little brother. He could see the person he had been before he had been taken away from his peaceful life and it hurt him to know that that joyful character had probably gone forever now, gone like the love of his life.

"Don't let them have it, Sora," he whispered into his hair. "Don't let them have the satisfaction of seeing you broken… I'll help you through it, I'll be anything you want me to be, but don't let them have the most precious thing you still possess."

"I don't have anything left…"

"You do," Nathan pressed on, tightening his grip. "You still have yourself to stay faithful to. Don't let them take that away from you too."

Sora whimpered softly into the pillow, burying his face in it. He wanted out of this life, out of the situation he found himself in. There was nothing left for him in this world; he didn't want to be here anymore. He just wanted to be where Riku was.

Nathan held him all night appeasing his deepest fears and soothing the worst of his pains, knowing that it was all he could do at the present time.

* * *

The seagulls screeched over the inhabited hill stretching out below the villa terrace, the day announcing itself to be hot and sweltering.

The paper was folded open in front of him and his tired eyes landed on it, arduously reading the headline splattered across the front page.

**_"Riku Masako: Accident or Premeditated?"_**

Sora pushed the paper away with a lustless gesture, leaving his breakfast plate untouched.

Xehanort took a sip of his coffee and watched the brunette quietly, smiling to himself. "I heard you had an unexpected visitor last night, Sora. You seem worn out, I take it you both enjoyed yourselves?"

Sora looked at him now, his eyes cold and distant as he slowly said, "I know he did, but next time I plan on enjoying myself as well."

A pale eyebrow rose in silent amusement and he gave a pleased nod in acknowledgement. "I'm sure Kadaj would be pleased to indulge you with his most sincere affections."

Sora chuckled humorlessly at that. "Mind you," he said in a soft tone, his blue eyes holding the older man's in a tight grip, "I plan on enjoying myself next time… as I slit his throat oh so slowly and then watch his vile blood stain the sheets while he chokes in it."

The cup of coffee slipped out of Xehanort's hand and fell onto the floor. The smile he wore before was gone and replaced by a thin line of pressed lips, the sparkle of amusement vanished from his pale amber eyes.

Sora stood and turned without another word, leaving the terrace and entering the coolness of the house.

A contemplative expression formed on Xehanort's face and he sat back against his chair.

His phone then rang and he picked it up from where it was lying next to his plate on the table.

_"There's no trace of him in passenger records or of any male resembling him in morgues. If he escaped, he hid his tracks extremely well. We'll continue on searching."_

He hung up and sat silently for a while, looking out over the Mediterranean in the distance.

"If you think you can fool us, you're sadly mistaken, Riku," he smirked to himself. "I won't believe you dead before I see your ensanguined body lifelessly lying at my feet."

* * *

Nathan stepped out of the bathroom, wearing nothing than a towel low on his hips. He used another one to dry his hair with as he made his way to his dresser to find underwear.

"I'm going to kill him."

He turned towards his king-size bed to find Sora sitting at the end of it, wearing snow white sweatpants and a white sleeveless top. He took the towel on his head off and walked to the smaller male, sitting next to him.

Sora was looking at him, his eyes hardened with determination.

Nathan threw the wet towel in the nearby laundry bin and fixed his eyes on Sora's. "And then what?"

"I don't care," Sora answered between gritted teeth, eyes filling with tears. "I won't stand that man touching me again!"

"Hey," Nathan whispered, his large hand cupping Sora's left cheek. Sora pushed it away. "Hey!" he said again, gripping his face with both hands now. "_Listen to me!_" he said through gritted teeth, keeping his voice low. Sora stilled immediately, but his eyes kept their defiant edge. "You can't say things like that. Not now. Not here."

"Why not?" Sora whispered back harshly, his voice and lips trembling with barely concealed rage. "I'll kill each and every last one of them if I have to! They didn't keep their word; they had Riku killed! Why should I just roll over and accept that without doing anything?!" he got up and turned to Nathan, eyes aflame, voice angry beyond control. "He was the love of my life!" he yelled, knowing that there were guards right outside the door. "The love of my life," he then whispered to Nathan in a pleading tone, his voice breaking.

Nathan took him into his arms and held him tightly to him, supporting him as he broke down in more tears and wordless wails. "I understand Sora…" he said against his hair. "I do…"

"Then why don't you let me?" Sora whimpered brokenly, holding on to him in his desolation. "You told me… they took you away from your family too. How can you accept what they've made you become?"

Nathan smiled into his hair and shook his head slightly. "That's the thing, Sora. They haven't turned me into anything."

Sora took a step back and they stared at each other for a few moments.

"They never turned me into something. I never let them."

Confusion etched over the brunette's face. "But the clients and the…" he shuddered and wrapped his arms around himself, refusing to feel the ghost hands run all over his body.

"Just because they make me bed with men against my will, doesn't make me a whore. I never had low self-esteem issues and I'm not going to let them take what's left of it away. Never. I am who I choose to be." Nathan looked into his eyes intently. "If you let them take everything away, you'll become no better than they are."

"Fuck…" Sora whimpered, closing his eyes and looking away, his entire body trembling. He knew Nathan was right, but it was so damn hard to not just give into this pent up rage and anger.

"Hey," Nathan whispered, making Sora look at him again. "Do you think Riku would want you to become a killer?"

"Nate…" Sora murmured pleadingly, shaking his head. "It's so _hard_."

He nodded, reaching out to him again. "I'm glad you came to me."

Sora smiled a little and leaned into his touch, placing a hand against his holding his face. "There's no one else I can turn to in this goddamned place…"

Nathan moved closer and brought his other hand on his other cheek. "I'm here," he said, wiping away the tears rolling down Sora's face.

"Nate…"

"It's alright…" he whispered, kissing his cheek softly and slowly working his way up towards his full lips. "I'm here, Sora…"

Afterwards, they lay on the bed, entangled in the sheets and each other, staring into the other's eyes.

"I think I'm going to be late…" Sora whispered with a small, sleepy smile as he struggled to keep his eyes open. "I'm supposed to open the gallery today… "

"Then I indeed think you're going to be late," Nathan whispered with a dreamy smile of his own, his right hand resting lightly on the brunette's left hip.

"Yeah…" Sora sighed, closing his eyes and snuggling closer to him.

Nathan watched him succumb to sleep a few moments later and leaned in to land a soft kiss on his forehead.

After their first meeting on the helicopter pad on the top of the villa three months ago, he had immediately become attached to the little brunette and they had become more and more familiar with each other before becoming friends, then confidants and finally lovers. That last stage of their relationship had only begun two weeks ago on a stormy and particularly emotional night for Sora after Kadaj had brutally abused of him. They sought each other up for comfort and somehow found it in each other's arms in bed. He had known to not expect too much from this new turn, but Sora seemed to find great solace in being with him and therefore never asked about how he felt about it with Riku in the back of his mind, even though Nathan knew Sora struggled with it in his own time.

He watched this young man that had been through so much in his short life and wished with all his heart that no matter what lay in store for him, he'd still maintain that immaculate innocence he saw shining through his eyes now and then.

* * *

Gallerie Montesquieu was located in the centre of the city, on a high-class shopping boulevard a couple of miles away from the beach.

Sora was currently on the top floor of the gallery, checking the list of artworks that needed to be moved to the Locker for the inventory of later that week. He turned to the two workmen standing next to a gigantic block of crafted marble and nodded towards them, pointing with his pen in the direction of the service elevator at the other end of the floor. "That one too, please," he said.

The men nodded and went to work in silence. Sora took a last look around the emptied space and nodded. The gallery was presenting the works of a new artist tonight and they needed this floor to display her works.

Sora glanced at his watch and groaned, "For the love of—"

He had been calling the delivery company for over a week now, and they had guaranteed him that the collection would be brought in in time for the exposition, which was but 4 hours away now.

Sora descended the stairs to his office on the first floor. "Emma," he asked his secretary, "have you heard from those chuckleheads yet?"

"Non, monsieur," the pretty brunette said with a shake of her curls and an amused smile. "They 'aven't yet." She handed him a document holder, "Monsieur Xehanort faxed dhis through for you a little while ago."

"Thanks," he whispered, quickly stepping out of the office with his heart thundering in his chest.

He knew what it was that he held in his hand, it was the same thing every month.

The list of men he would have to charm tonight at the reception.

Sora took a breath to calm himself and leant against the wall just outside the office, needing a few moments to recompose himself. The men he was forced to offer his charms to were often high muckamucks in the business world that Xehanort wanted to influence in becoming potential clients of the Nobuhiro Zaibatsu, now renamed Nobuhiro Financial Conglomerate. It wasn't even something the company relied on, but it kept Sora and others in his situation out of the big boss's hair and most importantly; obedient and mute. This job as manager was just something to keep Sora busy, something Xehanort had offered to him as a reprieve, something that would help him ground himself better in his new life.

Strangely enough, it did help Sora on some days… there were even days when he had been able to smile aboveboard, when he had enjoyed selling artworks to rich and even famous people.

But it never helped him forget what he had sacrificed.

"Hello…?"

Sora pushed himself away from the wall and quickly wiped off some stray tears. A potential costumer had just walked in.

"Hello, anyone here?"

"May I help you?" Sora asked with a soft smile, descending the last flight of steps leading to the ground floor and main exhibition hall.

The young, blond woman twirled around at the sound of his voice, taking off her too large, designer sunglasses. Her big green eyes twinkled happily at the sight of him and she grinned a big toothed smile his way. "Hi, I was wondering if it's possible to rent artwork here. Is it? Because I have seen this marvelous Matrenkaja hanging from outside the display window and I just want it in my house for this party I'm organizing at the end of the month."

Sora chuckled a little at the amazing speed she was propelling those words out of her mouth and the absolute rich-girl air she was giving off with it. Some people really lived in a reality of their own…

"Yes," he answered with a smile, looking up at the painting in question, "we do rent out paintings and sculptures." He resisted a giggle at her enthusiastic squeal, "Perhaps if you are interested in more work from Matrenkaja, you can come to her exhibition tonight."

"Oh, it would be absolutely wonderful if you could put me on the guest list!" she exclaimed breathlessly, "I would love to meet her, she is my hero!"

Sora smiled politely and moved to the reception desk behind him. "Have you studied art?"

"Yes," she nodded, rumbling around in her over-sized golden Gucci bag and taking out a contact card. "In Paris last summer. Ugh! I completely fell in love with the city!"

Sora took the card she was holding out and began writing down the information he needed on the guest list of tonight's event. "I hear it's gorgeous during summer," he glanced at the card again, "Miss Heartly."

"It is! It absolutely is!" she said, making a definite movement with her perfectly manicured right hand. She then looked around and frowned, "At what time is this exhibition?"

"8.30, miss."

She bit her lower lip and leaned in a little, "Do you think I could get a sneak peak?"

Sora shook his head a little and grinned, "Don't you think I'd lose my job?" _Not even if I did show her_, he thought_._

"Oh! Of course!" she said with an embarrassed chuckle, "What was I thinking! I'm so sorry!"

Sora shook his head, "No it's alright," he shrugged, "There is nothing up there to show yet, anyway. We are still waiting for the transport company that's supposed to bring the collection in."

"Whoa, that's going to be a close call."

He sighed and looked at his watch again, "I'm afraid so."

"Hey, what company is it anyway?"

"Ilford Transport, why?"

She suddenly grinned widely and took a bottle of water out of her bag. "Those people are such screw ups, they probably lost the cargo by now."

Sora frowned, mildly worried, "Have you done business with them before?"

She took a sip from the bottle and shook her head, "No, but they're my father's main competition."

"Your father owns a transport company?"

She nodded, "Yeah, well, transport and warehousing. 'Kingdom Logistics'. Here," she handed him another card with the information. "They can get the artwork here in an hour if it's stored nearby."

"Yeah," Sora said with enthusiasm, "It's stored at a warehouse near the Port of Fontvielle."

"That's absolutely not far from here!" she said with unmasked surprise.

Sora nodded, "Which tempts me even more to call your father's company…"

She placed a hand on his arm and smiled, "Hey, you have to do what you have to do, right? I'm not forcing your arm here or anything."

"What?" Sora laughed, "Those idiots from Ilford promised to deliver like a week ago, but every time they postponed it and now look where I'm at."

"Alright, let me call my father's company, maybe I can get them to deliver even faster!" she said with a wink, taking out her strass-covered cell phone.

"Oh, but I couldn't ask—"

"No problem!" she said over her shoulder with a grin. "And by the way, my name is Riquelle, but friends call me Rikka."

Sora rose a brow at how similar to Riku her name sounded and before he knew it, he nodded in acknowledgement. "I'm Sora."

"Nice to meet you," she giggled before her attention went to her phone again.

* * *

The night was hot and sweltering as expected and the art exhibition was a complete success; they had sold over three quarters of the entire collection in a few hours.

"Congratulations, Sora, you have done well with your preparations."

Sora turned from his leaning position against the balcony railing outside the galleries' first floor. "Mr Norbert, you've made it."

"Yes," the middle aged, bald man said with a smirk, "I wouldn't have missed it for the world, no matter what that damn doctor says." He made his way over to the young male, his cane hitting the paved floor rhythmically with every other step. He placed an encouraging hand on the brunette's shoulder and squeezed it lightly. "I heard you were quite in a predicament before opening tonight?"

"Yes sir, the collection arrived only 3 hours before it was to be exposed," Sora explained to the owner of the gallery. "If it hadn't been for Miss Heartly, I don't know when the artwork would've arrived."

"I trust you have dismissed the company you asked help from before?"

"Oh yes, I will never work with them again."

"Good, good…" he coaxed Sora back into the crowded room, leaning a little on Sora with an arm. "And this Miss Heartly, who is she?"

"She is here," Sora said with a smirk and a nod in the direction of the cute blonde standing a few feet away in a sober black dress, staring at a vivaciously colored painting with a dreamy smile on her blood red lips. "Right over there. She is an avid fan of the artist."

"Oh, is she now?" George Norbert whispered with interest.

"Shall I introduce you?" Sora asked with a knowing smile.

"No, no… that's fine, son…"

"Alright," Sora whispered. He then watched him go to her and saw them striking up a conversation.

He spotted Xehanort and Nathan a few moments later, talking to a young man Sora recognized as the director of a local shipping company and another guy dressed completely in black he did not recognize. He quickly avoided them by taking a left after the statue of the ecstatic man and slipping into the men's bathroom.

His back hurt, his thighs hurt, his arms hurt and he was pretty sure the hairs on the back of his neck hurt.

"God…" he whispered to himself as he looked at his tired face in the mirror. He just needed to breathe, even it was but for a minute. These expositions were nothing but a cover-up for what happened in the basement. And tonight he wouldn't be part of it if he could escape it.

"Having a rough night?"

Sora nearly jumped a hole in the ceiling. "Nate!" he whispered through gritted teeth, holding on to his chest in an attempt to slow his heartbeat.

"Hello to you too," the other brunette said, caressing a soft kiss onto Sora's right cheek. "I saw you coming in here. Although 'sneaking' would be a more appropriate word."

Sora scowled at him through the mirror and leant onto the sink with a tired sigh. "I'm _sneaking_ out later, I don't care."

Nathan wrapped his arms around his waist and rested his chin in the crook of his shoulder, giving him a contemplative look in the mirror. "No one's stopping you," he said and Sora released himself from his grip with a roll of his eyes.

"I just want to go sleep."

Nathan only stared at him.

"Whatever." Sora walked passed him and exited.

"There you are, Sora."

He cringed slightly and slowly turned apprehensively.

This was exactly what he had feared all night.

"Are you somehow avoiding me?"

His voice hitched in his throat. "Kadaj," he whispered flatly, his heart dancing a mad tango in his chest.

That smile, that leery, deceptive smile was etched on his face. The one that told Sora he should run, run now or live through the promises that smile guaranteed.

But his feet did not move. He was pinned to the floor, standing there, waiting for his worst nightmare to come true. Again.

"Hey, baby," Kadaj breathed into his ear, fingers slipping through his hair to keep him close. He moaned softly, his excitement evident when he bit into the higher shell of Sora's right ear and Sora whimpered. "Did you miss me? I couldn't stop thinking about you all day. My dick just wouldn't stand down…"

Sora stood there, still as rigid as a plank, hands balled on each side of his body, eyes directed up to the ceiling, emotionlessly staring as the horny whispers in his ears continued.

There was no escaping it now. Not anymore.

"You have no idea what you do to me… Those pouty lips of yours… how I'd love to see them wrapped around my cock again… hear those sounds you make while I fuck your little tight ass over and over… hmmm—"

Sora got pushed into a dark corner of the hallway they were in, crushed between Kadaj's body and the wall behind him, gasping out softly at the pain at the back of his skull. "Kadaj, you're hurting me."

Kadaj chuckled lowly in his throat and pushed some of Sora's hair back so he could lick a broad stripe up his throat and then nibble on his ear again. "You've never been too shy of pain before…"

"Stop…" he breathed, eyes averted from his face, "Not here…"

Kadaj smirked and let go of him, licking his lips as he admired his work. "You're so fucking beautiful."

Sora pushed himself away from the wall and shakily took a few steps in the direction of the stairs, searching for support on the railing when he reached it. He felt so tired and honestly did not believe he'd survive another night with that monster right now. Sora glanced at the reception going on in the nearby room and shivered when Kadaj came to block his only escape route.

Kadaj shook his shoulder length silver hair out of his slanted green eyes and grinned, placing a hand around the smaller male's waist. "Let's go."

His body screamed 'no' and he struggled a little as he was pulled onto his feet. "Please, I just—"

"Hey! Sora!"

They both looked into the direction of the reception room and saw Riquelle Heartly coming towards them with an excited grin.

Kadaj loosened his grip on him and let Sora walk over to her. "H-hey, Rikka… are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah," she said breathlessly, her smile wavering a little as she noted the solid grip the silver haired man had on Sora's right arm. "Are you leaving?"

"N-no," Sora whispered, pulling his arm away from Kadaj, "I'm not going anywhere, we were just talking. Can I help you with anything?"

Not wanting to make a scene, Kadaj let the statement stand, but his lips were now curled into an ugly sneer.

"Oh," she whispered, averting her eyes away from Kadaj. "Well, I was wondering if you'd like to come to my cocktail party at the end of the month. I would love to have you there, so I can have someone to talk Art with."

"I would love—"

"I'm sorry," Kadaj interrupted him, smiling disdainfully at her and placing his arm around Sora's waist again. "At the end of the month I'm taking Sora on a yacht-trip on the Mediterranean." He then turned to the brunette on his arm, "Did you forget, babe?"

Sora rolled his eyes to the floor and closed them. It had been foolish to hope for an escape in the form of this gentle young lady.

"Excuse me, I believe we haven't been properly introduced," Rikka spoke diplomatically; though it was evident she was trying to keep her annoyance under the surface. "You are…?"

"Kadaj Aikuro, vice president of—"

"The new Nobuhiro Conglomerate," she interrupted him with an unimpressed expression. "I thought I recognized you from somewhere."

"I see my reputation has preceded me…" Kadaj said with fake humbleness.

She rose an eyebrow at that and held out her hand. "Riquelle Heartly."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Heartly." He took her hand and placed a kiss on the back of her hand.

"So, obviously my invitation comes a little too late," Rikka said, her eyes watching Sora intently. "Too bad."

"Yes, too bad indeed…" Kadaj said, sneering again. "Come on," he kissed Sora on his temple, "I'm tired."

In a moment of panic, Sora reached out to Rikka with a strained smile, consequently startling her with his abruptness. "I'm sorry I forgot I had plans already."

"That's alright, Sora," she whispered with a comforting smile. "Perhaps some other time."

"I'd love to," he whispered back, tears prickling behind his eyes. They let each other go.

"Take care of yourself, Sora," she said softly. "Mister Aikuro," she lowered her head slightly in a nod and began to turn back to the reception.

"Enough of this," Kadaj said, yanking Sora in the direction of the stairs now, nearly making him trip over his own feet.

Sora only winced, but didn't protest, having accepted his fate.

Yet he just couldn't be a silent warrior like Nate was; accepting the consecutive blows to his dignity without batting an eye. He hated this man with all his heart, so much he was certain he was capable of murder if given the chance. He didn't want to, but he felt cornered and couldn't wait any longer. No one was coming for him; it was a hope he had quickly buried on his second day here. He had to dig his own way out. He had nothing left to lose.

_'What about your friends and family?'_

Each time he thought about them, the hole inside him became darker. If he escaped, he'd be able to warn them, have them run away, leave Astoria to someplace safer… Maybe—

When the blow came, he hadn't seen it coming. It was the throbbing pain and the coppery taste in his mouth that brought him back to the present.

They had gotten to the basement of the building and they were now standing in the corridor leading to the Locker. No one would come here at this hour of the night and the monster knew this.

"What are you waiting for?"

He was harshly pushed down onto his knees on the hard concrete floor, right in front of his rigid, weeping cock.

"Kadaj—"

Before his protest could come to a close, his mouth was filled with the bitter taste of a hard pulsing dick and he gagged, tears filling his eyes as he tried to breathe, tried to crane his head in the direction the hands pulling on his hair urgently requested. He ignored the rapid stabs to the back of his throat and repressed his gag reflex the best he could, taking in shaky breaths through his nose.

"Look at me."

Sora did, opening his teary eyes, staring at him with all the defiance he could muster, wanting to bite his dick off.

"Do it and you know what awaits you," Kadaj smirked, his right hand caressing the bulge on the brunette's left cheek, loving the knowledge that it was him in there, fucking this pretty thing's mouth.

Sora knew all too well what happened the last time he tried to bite Kadaj's masculine pride… the welts on his inner thighs had kept him from sitting comfortably for a whole week and the bruises on his ankles and wrists had hurt for days.

So he kept quiet, listening intently to Kadaj's breathing pattern, hoping for that one guttural groan that would announce the end of his ordeal.

The groan came, sooner than he had anticipated, and he prepared himself for the searing rush down his throat, closing his eyes tightly.

What he hadn't anticipated was the dull sound of a fist connecting with flesh and Kadaj's startled grunt as he was knocked out cold. Sora opened his eyes and found everything to still be black. He let go of the cock and blindly stood to his feet, feeling around him for the wall and finding the unconscious body of Kadaj lying at his feet. He took three startled steps back and bumped into something—or rather, someone and gasped.

"What—?"

"Shh… don't be afraid…"

Sora froze.

"It'll all be over soon. Hold on just a little longer, I'm here now. Nothing will ever keep me away from you again."

Strong arms wrapped around him and Sora trembled, not believing it was happening, not believing it was even possible.

Was it a dream? Oh please, let it be a dream… he couldn't bare being deceived in this reality again…

"Look out for me when you least expect it."

And with that the warm body was gone and the darkness around him was lifted, leaving him shivering in the corridor.

Sora slid down to the floor, his heart beating madly, his body tingling with renewed hope.

"Oh thank God…" he whimpered, covering his mouth as the tears rolled down his cheeks. "Thank God… you're not dead…"

* * *

_To be continued…_

**_-BDP-_**


	11. The Shadows of Dawn

* * *

**_Congratulations TIOWA, you're now two years old!_**

* * *

11: The shadows of dawn

* * *

Afterwards, he wasn't completely sure he trusted what his eyes told him happened.

But there it was, or rather, there _he _was, still sitting on the concrete floor with a still unconscious Kadaj lying right in front of him. A nasty bruise was forming on his right temple and Sora grinned like a madman, finding his way back to his feet and quickly limping his way up the stairs and out of the corridor.

His knees hurt like a bitch, but he wouldn't let that slow him now; Riku was here! He had saved him! Maybe he was still around? Maybe he'd see him? But how did he get in? Had he been here all along? Sora raked his brain, searching through the faces he'd seen tonight and coming up with one possible match. He stood still in the middle of the 2nd flight of stairs leading to the main hall and the exit, realizing that he had seen one man he hadn't recognized tonight at the reception. Had it been him? Black hair and blue eyes… The man looked nothing like the Riku he knew and yet joy like he hadn't felt in a long time coursed through him and he ran up the rest of the stairs. It was unlikely for Riku to still be around, but Sora didn't care. Knowing that he was still alive had been such an emotional relief, he preferred for Riku to stay out of sight until whatever plan he was coming up with was ready to be executed. He'd be waiting until then.

"Are you done for the night?"

Sora looked up at Aeleus who'd been on guarding duty tonight and nodded. "I am. Take me back?"

The bulky man nodded, opening the entrance door and ushering the petite brunette out.

The bright lights on the boulevard flashed by as they drove to the villa in silence. Sora couldn't help but look over his shoulder in fear of seeing someone coming after him. He did leave Kadaj on the basement floor but he couldn't even begin to hold back the grin that grew on his lips every time he thought about it. There was no doubt in his mind that he would encounter the consequences of this night later. It was alright, though. There wasn't much that could crush his spirits now.

"_Look out for me when you least expect it."_

The words played in his head over and over, making his lips curl up and his heart flutter.

The angst and pain he'd felt over Riku's supposed murder weren't exactly relieved, although the excitement over hearing his Riku again overweighed his current emotions. He wondered how Riku had found him, how he'd been able to successfully fake his own death and fool everyone. He wondered if the others were in on it, if they knew Riku was here in Monaco.

A thought suddenly crossed his mind and the smile he'd been wearing dissipated.

"He saw me…" He felt sick in his stomach, feeling the bile coming up. "Oh God… he must've seen me." Kneeling on the floor, sucking cock like some dick-hungry whore…

And like that, his enthusiasm about Riku saving him was replaced by an overwhelming feeling of guilt. Guilt because he choose to leave him, regardless of the situation he'd been put in. Sora felt guilty because he'd smashed Riku's heart and therefore made him throw away his life with his faked death. But the worst thing was that he'd come to save him, and Sora wondered now what was left for Riku to save…

"We're here, Sora."

The car came to a halt on the private drive in front of the Villa and Sora looked up at the lit up hallway through the massive glass doors of the entrance. He glanced at his watch. It was a quarter to one.

"If you asked for a Philly cheese steak sandwich, I'm sure Eric wouldn't mind whipping it up for ya," Aeleus whispered with a sympathetic smile in the rearview mirror. "You look like you could use one."

Sora sighed silently and gave him a tired smile, "I've eaten a little at the reception."

"No you haven't," Was the reprimanding reply. "You look like crap. You've been looking like crap for the past few days."

"Are you my mother now?" He joked goodheartedly, opening the door.

"Sora," Aeleus said, his tone more serious.

Sora stopped and looked back at him.

"Ask for that damn sandwich, it's ready and waiting for you in the kitchen."

With a smirk and a nod, Sora left the car and walked up the set of steps leading to the iron laced, glass double doors of the main entrance.

As soon as he stepped into the gigantic black marble hall, he saw Eric, the resident chef, walking out of the main kitchen at the end of the hall, ready to return home for the night.

"Hey Sora," he greeted with a smile. "How was the exhibition?"

"Too trite for my own personal tastes," Sora answered with a small shrug.

Eric chuckled, "Well the appreciation of art is mostly a subjective sport, eh?"

Sora rolled his head to the side, feeling the muscles in his neck stretch painfully. "Yeah…"

"Are you alright?" Eric asked, cocking his head to the side as he observed him intently. "You look a little pale."

"It's just been a very, very long day…"

"I made you a Philly cheese steak sandwich. It's in the fridge upstairs." He began to walk over to the door. "And I don't want to be throwing it away tomorrow morning, so you better eat it!" He said before closing the door behind him.

Sora smiled after him. There were nice people in the life he'd been ruthlessly thrown in, Aeleus, Nathan and Eric being a few of those.

He walked up the large stairs towards the apartments he shared with Nathan. They had a common living room, a dining room, a build in kitchen, a balcony with terrace, separate rooms with en-suites, and walk-in wardrobes.

He made a bee-line for his bathroom, throwing his clothes in a trail behind him until he stood naked in front of his mirror. Sora'd stopped looking at himself in the glass for a while now. The welts, bruises and cuts that covered his body from time to time made it difficult to stare at himself without reliving how he got so battered in the first place.

He reached for the cabinet and took out a small wooden, circular box he kept hidden there. He opened it, sighing at the sight of its contents. The shiny, silver bracelet still lay there like on the first night he placed it in there with all of his memories.

Sora took it out and held it in his hand. It was his most precious possession in this world. Each time he touched it, he felt connected with Riku in a sense, reliving all the love and good times they shared through it.

"Would you still love me if you knew what I did to keep you safe?"

There was a whisper outside the window, the sound of rain carried through the wind, the shadow of a passing cloud.

Part of him wished for Riku to come now; to hold him, tell him all those sweet things he'd dream about, to take him away and make it all better. Another part knew he couldn't afford such naiveté anymore. The world was cruel and merciless; one could not live on hopes and dreams alone.

"Nothing will make me forget you, so I won't let myself forget about you…"

The door to the apartment fell shut and he heard footsteps towards his room.

"Nate?" he called out, reaching for a bathrobe.

"Yeah."

The tall brunette appeared in the doorframe, one of his shoulder length locks hanging in his face, his white shirt open and inviting, the top buttons of his jeans revealing a hint of dark curls. "Man, you missed quite a show."

Sora arched an eyebrow, "Did someone knock over a sculpture?"

"No," Nathan yawned, stretching a little. "It's even better. Someone stole one."

"What?!"

"Or at least, tried to steal one," Nathan clarified with a bored gesture of his hand. "They found the Locker open—and guess who on the floor of the basement corridor?"

"W-who?" Sora asked, knowing what he was going to say.

"Mister VP himself! Knocked out cold!" Nathan burst into chuckles, moving into the bathroom to look at himself in the mirror. He leaned in slightly pulled his left lower eyelid down, staring at his eye intently.

Sora turned away from Nathan's bulging green eye and walked passed him and towards the living and its kitchen to check out that sandwich. He seemed to be getting hungry all of a sudden.

"So," Nathan said, walking out into the living room as well now, his shirt flung carelessly over a shoulder as he trotted over lazily. "Care to tell me what happened after you two went down there?"

Sora stiffened from his hunched over position into the fridge and straightened, a plate with his sandwich in hand. "What makes you think we went to the basement together?"

Nathan sat himself in one of the white couches and calmly watched him seat himself next to him to eat his sandwich. "What happened?" he asked, his voice soft.

Sora sighed a little and placed the plate on the low table in front of them, gathering his robes around him tighter. "When we got in the corridor, the lights suddenly went off and I ran. That's it." He stood again and got himself a bottle of water. "I got to the exit and asked Aeleus to take me home. That was probably half an hour ago or something. I didn't see any sign of a thief or whatever, officer."

"Well," the other male sighed, "you'll be pleased to know that Kadaj is alright. He actually told the police something similar; lights went out and when he came to you were missing. For a moment he thought you might have been kidnapped."

Sora laughed.

"I know," Nathan chuckled, shaking his head. "But he seemed genuinely concerned."

"Guess those acting lessons he's been taking are starting to pay off."

Nathan smiled and leaned back against the couch as Sora sat next to him again and took a bite of his sandwich. "It's good to see you eat."

Sora wiped off the excess cheese on his lips with a Kleenex and grinned. "Don't tell me, I look like crap?"

"I would've said that you look like shit, but I guess 'crap' ads that tinge of worry just as fine."

Sora gave him an incredulous stare.

"Ok, I was starting to worry _just a little_," he admitted, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his temple. "You need to start taking better care of yourself, Sora."

Sora glared at him and put the sandwich down on the table again. Oh, that was rich. "Of all the people here, you're the last one I was expecting that one from!" He turned his head so the small bruise on the side of his mouth became visible to the other male. "That one he gave me tonight. Bruise nr 73 on my entire body!" He faced him again, "I'm even lucky I can get anything down my throat right now, I'm pretty sure it's been bruised to hell with him stabbing his dick onto it every fucking time he gets his hands on me, so don't fucking tell me to take care of myself because seriously? It would only delay the inevitable."

Nathan sighed in dismay.

It was silent for a moment. "I know you've been thinking it, and I'm starting to see it too," Sora whispered, looking at his hands in his lap. "This is going to kill me."

There was a voice in the back of his head that whispered that maybe it was better this way for everyone, after all, the person he was now couldn't face the ones he'd chosen to leave behind and returning to them was just…

Impossible.

"Nate," he softly said, watching him. It seemed like the other brunette had finally admitted defeat. "What? No encouraging words?" he whispered with a brave smile, feeling it waver as Nate turned away from him and bent over to lean with his elbows on his thighs, uncharacteristically silent. It brought to his attention that he really did rely on Nate to chase his demons away.

"There was this girl," Nathan finally said, his voice low. "She lived here only one year ago. She was just like you. Hardheaded, perseverant and hopeful. She was the one to take me in when I first arrived. Chrysta, she was called. She'd lived here for five years after they'd taken her away from her home. She had a husband and a newborn son she knew she'd never see again, but somehow she managed to survive here. When the news came that her husband had died, she just… gave up."

Sora bit his lower lip, "What happened to her?"

"She shot herself in the head."

Sora cast his eyes down. He could relate.

Nathan turned to look at him; his expression was a blank page, as if all the emotion had been washed off. He sighed then, retrieved a cigarette from a pack he kept in his back pocket, lit it, took a drag and fell back against the couch. "I found her in the garden near the fountain."

Sora scooted closer, placing a hand on his face so he'd look at him directly. "You cared about her…"

He grabbed onto Sora's hand holding his face, looking him dead in the eyes. "If I can do anything to keep him from hurting you even more, I will."

Sora blinked, taken aback by Nathan's sudden vehement words. Never had he known Nathan to make threats against Kadaj or any of their other captors before. And he now realized that Nathan wanted out and that perhaps the will to fight he seemed to have lacked was there all along, waiting, anticipating for the right moment.

But now, it was Sora who was tired of it all.

"Thank you, but that would only get you in trouble or even worse," he said in a soft voice, shaking his head slightly. "I just wish all of this never happened." He placed a soft kiss on the older male's temple and sniffled a little, feeling the tears prickling behind his eyes again. "For the both of us." He stood and walked back into his room, closing the door behind him.

Nathan's eyes fell on the half-eaten sandwich Sora left on the table and he snorted. He was the one supposed to look after Sora, Sora wasn't supposed to look after himself with everything that he goes through on a daily basis. Nathan considered himself lucky that none of his clients had S/M predilections, which made him feel responsible for Sora, who obviously suffered more than he did.

It'd be a cold day in Hell before he let anything happen to Sora.

* * *

The small table in the living room of the suite was littered with blueprints, print outs and a wide-screen laptop. The chambermaid pushed an empty rolling tray out of the duplex and he waited to hear her muted footsteps receding in the carpeted hallway.

He heard Riquelle descending the stairs, her wet steps sounding on the black stone. The smell of her shampoo wafted passed him as she sat herself on the plush sofa of the terrace.

"Breakfast."

He exhaled the smoke and he watched it dissipate in front of him. The seagulls screeched over his head and the Mediterranean stretched underneath his balcony with the mountains on his left and right that surrounded the Monte Carlo Bay.

His stomach made a low approving sound and he took another drag of his cigarette, willing the hunger and the nausea that came with it away. His mind was the furthest away from food right now.

"Anything from Roxas yet?"

Riquelle sighed audibly and he heard her drop her fork against her plate. "He told us he'd send us those detailed maps of the Villa when he'd have them ready, Riku."

He pressed the bud of his cigarette onto an empty spot in the ashtray on the table behind him before picking it up and walking to the other half of the terrace to sit in the chair opposite from her at the breakfast table. He couldn't get his feet to sit still so he stared out at the sea again, leaning with his right elbow on the arm of the chair, playing his fingers over his upper lip nervously.

"He's lost so much weight."

She folded her legs on the sofa and pulled her blond hair back in a ponytail. Her eyes wandered over to the sea as well and she smiled softly. "By the end of the week you'll have him with you again and you can start your lives over. Be patient. "

_Don't screw it up._

Riku closed his eyes. He could still smell him, could still feel the comfortable weight of him in his arms when he held him last night and if he concentrated long enough, he could hear his trembling gasps echoing in his mind.

_God, what did they do to you?_

Even in the dark, he had been able to tell how much Sora's body had suffered. He had felt how he shuddered against him, how his skin had felt clammy against the palms of his hands, how the skin on his wrists covered nothing but bone. He was sure that underneath his clothes the damage would be direr than that which he witnessed already. The urgency he'd felt when they arrived in Monaco three days ago only intensified now, leaving him with a growing feeling of angst whenever he dared to look at a clock.

"You won't be any good to him if you're half starved to death."

Riquelle was giving him that look again; the one that was not quite concern and not quite annoyed and yet genuinely compassionate. He hated that look.

It was bad enough that he felt like all the good things in his life seemed bound to leave him and that happiness was something he could dream about, but not reach. He always knew he wasn't worthy of the love he and Sora had shared and there were times when he had believed that being away from him was the best thing he could do to keep him from hurting too much. Because seriously, you just had to take a look at the past year and the mess they found themselves in.

_His fault._

The reason why they were both here right now.

_His fault._

No matter what Sora said or did, there was always a part of him that could never live with him for putting Sora through so many hardships and pain. He hated how much he loved him sometimes, couldn't stand the way his need for him completely blinded him from what _Sora_ needed and wanted.

What happened back in Crystle should've opened his eyes, but no. A few months later he screwed it up again and he wondered now how in hell Sora ever forgave him for that. Because he was certain that he was the only one to blame for all of it, all Sora ever did was love him.

And now this?

How could Sora choose to sacrifice himself for someone who has obviously loved him so poorly and has proven it to him over and over again?

The three months of solitude brought him a plethora of answers and there was one that kept playing in the back of his mind over and over, like a broken gramophone record.

_You had enough of me._

And over those three months, he'd come to perceive that thought as a reality; the only way out for Sora to use. It angered him, to think that because Sora had loved him he chose for a life of forced imprisonment away from his family and friends. How could he believe that that was what he deserved?

Oh, Riku knew that he was being a hypocrite about the entire issue because he would've gladly taken Sora's place if he had been given the chance. But it shouldn't have been Sora. Sora wasn't supposed to _chose_ for this, wasn't supposed to _want _this.

_You wanted to go because you love me? How do you expect me to live with that? How, Sora? You couldn't have had another reason than wanting to get away from me. I know you couldn't have…_

Riku should've kept him from making that choice at all. Should've loved him well enough, so Sora wouldn't have had the feeling that he needed to do this. Not like this, and certainly not for him.

For now he would content himself with the fact that he was here to rescue Sora because it was the least he could do. It was the least he could do to repay him for everything he gave him that he could not return. It would be his way of saying sorry for the pain, the grief and the loneliness he caused him over the years.

It was the least he could do.

"…er me?"

He blinked and tore his gaze away from the sea, staring vacantly at her. "What?"

"I'll take that as a no." She handed him a plate with a salmon omelet and a fruit salad. "I'm not going anywhere before you eat."

He looked at the mixture of yellow and pink on the plate and immediately wished he hadn't. A wave of nausea so strong overcame him and he retched in the nearby plant, vomiting nothing than bile and saliva.

Riquelle watched him silently, the plate she held out back on the table. "How do you expect to rescue him, if you're such a mess?"

Riku panted, his stomach flipping over itself and threatening to come out through his throat. "Nothing… matters— for now…"

"Bullshit."

"Riquelle—"

She didn't understand, she couldn't understand. It didn't matter; she didn't need to understand.

"He was crying you know. When I went yesterday."

Riku kept telling himself that it didn't change anything.

"He's barely keeping it together."

Riku began to stand and winced, his stomach clenching together again. "I'll get him out of there myself if I have to."

Riquelle jumped on her feet and held him back from entering the suite again. "Riku, stop. Think about this for a minute."

"Riquelle—"

"No! Listen." She took his face in her hands. "Tifa and Axel have infiltrated their circle of trust. Tonight, at the Charity event that will take place at the Casino, we will let things go as planned and you _will_ see him again."

Riku glared at her. "Behind a cage, like a mere animal on sale!"

"What would you have us do?" she demanded, voice calm, eyes piercing into his. "Would you prefer us barging in half-assed? Because I'm telling you, if you get yourself killed out there, we can forget our plan and Sora _will _die."

He stared at her. "The blueprints of the Mansion came in two days ago, we've gone over the plans a thousand times; there's nothing new we can learn from them."

"You are forgetting that we need you to figure out where they're keeping Sora. Roxas has sent the USB-stick with the program to a friend of mine. The main goals of tonight are 1) Access the main computer in Xehanort's study and install the program into the security network so Roxas can access it and control it from his computer in Astoria.

2) For you to make contact with Sora and fill him in on the plan.

Aside from that, all you need to do tonight is basically enjoy yourself," she paused, "to the best of your abilities."

Riku grunted.

"We will be watched all night, so please behave like the spoiled, rich Cambridge stud you're supposed to be, alright?"

Andrew McCoy was a tall, all American, long haired brunette with cold blue eyes and high-cheek bones. He was a Senior Law student at Cambridge University, currently taking a sabbatical. His family was one half of the rising McCoy & Bullström law firm that has been on the New Nobuhiro Conglomerate 'to-do list' for a few months now.

Riku closed his eyes and reigned in his anger. He hated playing that role. He hated the fact that he had ridiculous, black 14' extensions in his hair and had to wear contacts. Yet he knew all too well that those were necessary for their plan to work.

"When they ask, where do you suggest we say we met?"

She tossed him a somewhat naughty smile and shrugged. "At the Opera de Paris."

Riku blinked. "What?"

"What?"

"The opera? You are not going to tell me that high-class boys his age like going to the opera. No one's going to buy that!"

She grinned now and sat down on the couch in the living room, pulling open her laptop that still lay on the coffee table. "Of course not. That's why you're going to say that we met during the intercession of the ballet presentation. Surprise me; I'm sure you can come up with a fun story to tell our host when the time for it comes."

He rolled his eyes and strode to the door, exiting with a loud clap.

Riquelle closed her eyes and sighed.

A conversation window popped open on the screen, beeping for her attention.

_**Package has arrived; I'll be there in 20.**_

She typed back: _**Suite 304-305**_

She sent the message and sat back, taking a deep breath. The wheels had been set in motion and so far, everything was still going according to plan.

Let's hope it continued to go that way.

* * *

The Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort had a small casino in the centre of the establishment. Lavish red decorated the curved walls that went flawlessly into the ceiling with in its centre a black crystal chandelier. Underneath it, a giant pink rose decorated the floor in a sea of red and black lozenge shaped figures. It was surrounded by half circles of machine slots and in their centers diverse game tables.

Riku hadn't come with the intention of playing and acquainted himself to the bar at the far back, but figured after a while that playing a few games of blackjack couldn't hurt anyone and that time would only pass by quicker.

By the time he looked up from the table he'd been playing on, an hour and a half had passed and he'd gained a fair amount of money in the form of a stack of black and red chips. He exchanged them and walked towards the exit, deeming his afternoon to have been well spent.

"I never took you for a gambler, mister McCoy."

His feet stilled, barely a few meters from the exit of the casino and he turned, unwillingly taking in a shaky breath.

"Lady Fortuna lures even the most innocent of us, doesn't she?"

Of all the people he could meet. It had to be the biggest bastard of them all.

"Mr. Aikuro," he said, voice level, bordering bored. He forced his lips to bend into a mimic of a smile. "No one is safe from sin."

Kadaj extended a hand and leant in, "I'm certainly not going to deny that."

Riku took his hand, suppressing the urge to bash his head in, and smirked, "Well, we're all only human."

Kadaj threw his head back and laughed heartedly, "Unfortunately that is the truth, isn't it?" he grinned and slapped an amicable hand on Riku's shoulder. "Would you like to join me for a drink? I suppose we both have a couple of hours more to kill before we're expected to show at the Grand Casino— you _were_ invited?"

The asshole knew he was. The incompetent fool was trying to make himself sound more important than he really was. Were he to disappear, Riku was certain that there'd be but a few who would really miss him. After all, he was only a marionette set in place by Xehanort, a replacement for Riku Masako. A horribly poor one at that.

"We were pleasantly surprised to receive one," Riku politely answered with a nod, the constant smile he had plastered on cramping up the muscles of his face. "I hope the rumors I've heard are founded," he then whispered, making sure to add just that tinge of excitement in his voice. And to make sure the other man took the bait, he licked his lips like a junkie awaiting his next fix.

Kadaj smirked approvingly and stepped closer, "My friend, there is one for all tastes and you're free to sample as many times as you like!"

Riku laughed along with him, all the while feeling his stomach turn itself over again. Of all the things he had done in his life, this was the most sickening he had ever felt over anything. Whether playing a role or not, just the idea of bidding against others to 'win' Sora for one night made him physically ill. That these people could without hesitating exploit human beings this way was something he couldn't even begin to understand.

"I'm sure I'll find one to appeal to my desires…" he said with a grin, following Kadaj back to the bar. "Or perhaps to both my friend's and mine…"

Kadaj chuckled and took a seat on a stool. "Why not take one each and share?"

Riku wiggled his eyebrow, "Yes, why not?" he said, signaling the bartender.

"To be perfectly honest, Andrew," Kadaj began as they got their beers served to them a few moments later, "I would never have taken you for a liker of forbidden fruits."

"Never judge a book by its cover," Riku replied, taking a gulp of his glass.

"Ah, well, some people just don't know any better."

_No joke there,_ he thought, raising his glass. "I've always had an open mind when it came to the exquisite and exotic."

"Then I do believe our blossoming friendship can only flourish further."

Riku smirked and drank from his beer. _Flourish and wither even faster than you think_.

* * *

"Who was that woman I saw you talking with earlier when I picked you up at the gallery? I saw her at the exposition yesterday."

Sora turned off his electronic toothbrush and spit in the sink. "A blonde one?"

Nathan came into the bathroom and reached for the shaving cream. "Yeah, kinda cute too."

"Dude, that's mine," Sora said, pointing at the can in Nathan's hand.

He pressed a kiss against Sora's head, "Yeah, but yours smells better and you barely need it."

Sora splashed some water his way. "Hey!"

"What?" he chuckled, "you have this gorgeous hairless skin." He stepped behind him and pressed closer, "Especially down there…"

Sora wiggled away from him. "Yeah, but it doesn't stay that way on its own, you know!"

"I'll buy you a new can later this week," he whispered in his ear. "So who is she?"

"Riquelle Heartly, she came by to buy more art and talk about the benefit of tonight." He bent over and opened the crane to wash his teeth.

"What did you tell her?" Nathan wondered, looking at the can but not moving from his position behind Sora. "Does she know that you'll be given away to the most generous man or woman tonight?"

"Sure, I must've thrown it into the conversation somewhere…" He answered sarcastically, spitting. "What does it matter anyway? She's been invited, so she must know what goes down at events like these. The fact that it's me is just mere coincidence. We barely know each other."

"She seemed to be really attached to you last night."

Sora placed his electric toothbrush back into the cabinet, wiped his mouth off and walked out of the bathroom. "What makes you say that?" He couldn't give anyone the impression that he cared about an outsider. He knew that that was dangerous for both him and her. And he couldn't involve Nathan in any way; he would only want to protect him. "She wanted someone to talk art with on an upcoming party she's organizing, that's all." He picked up the black drawstring pants that lay readily on his bed and began to put them on. "And before I could even reply in any way, Kadaj cut the conversation short and you know the rest."

Nathan nodded, seemingly satisfied in his answer.

There was a knock against the door.

Sora threw on his sweater and reached for the duffel bag laid readily on the bed. "Have fun tonight," he whispered with a smile. They kissed and parted.

"It's uncanny how comfortable you seem to be with all of this now."

Sora sighed and shrugged, "It's called adaptation."

Nathan held him back and twirled him around. "Submission is more like it."

"Tomato, tomato Nate."

He held him back from turning again. "Sora—"

"Stop it." Sora wrenched himself out of his grip. "So what if I've submitted?" he chuckled, "I don't _care_ anymore!"

"But I do!" Nate whispered, "And I can't stand seeing you so indifferent because you don't deserve this."

Sora snorted, "I'm not so sure."

"Why?"

"Do you really want to have this conversation now, Nate? I'm going to be late—"

Nathan ignored him. "Why do you think you deserve this?"

Sora rolled his eyes and started for the front door. He didn't need to justify himself to Nathan, he wouldn't understand anyway. "I don't have time for this. Enjoy the party." And with that he walked out of the apartment and left Nathan alone.

* * *

The grand hall of the Monte Carlo Grand Casino shimmered with a thousand lights cascading down the walls. The ceiling was one giant mirroring surface reflecting all the light back down on the dance floor and its guests. Sharply dressed men and women were scattered around the room, enjoying themselves and drinking their served drinks. A band was playing a jazzy tune in a corner of the stage in the back.

_**Ansem**_ _**Memorial Fund Benefit**_

"This is so wrong."

Riquelle gathered her white dress around her ankles and Riku offered her his right arm as they prepared to descend the stairs leading to the dance floor two flights below.

"There isn't much we can do about that now, Riku," she whispered back from between her grinning teeth.

"Ansem created this foundation to help hospitalized children diagnosed with leukemia and now look what they've done to its noble purpose…"

They arrived at the bottom of the stairs and moved to a small cocktail table near the wall on their left. Riquelle moved in to fix his tie. "Concentrate on Sora, _Andrew_. Now, do you see Tifa anywhere?"

Riku huffed impatiently and looked around. "At three o'clock, next to the woman with the dead bird on her head," he said in a surly voice that bordered cute.

She glanced in said direction and suppressed a grin. "Good," she whispered, removing her hands from the perfect bow. "Don't forget, you must try and get Kadaj's attention later on. He probably won't stay long because of the humiliation he suffered yesterday and it would be unlikely that Xehanort allows him to anyway."

"I won't have much time," Riku concluded. "All right."

She kissed him on the lips and wiped away any trace of her red lipstick. "You know what to do, just stick to the plan."

He nodded and watched her walk away towards a middle aged, bald man with a light sway in her hips. Riku then took a glass of champagne off the tray of a passing waiter and walked towards the black haired woman in the silver Chinese styled dress. She was talking to another, older lady with long grey hair.

Tifa turned to him with a slightly surprised expression before conjuring one of the prettiest smiles he'd ever seen. "Andrew? You're here as well?"

"Good evening Mae Lin," he greeted her with three kisses on her cheeks. "I thought I recognized you from afar. It's good to see you, you look absolutely stunning."

She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it affectionately before introducing the elderly woman she'd been talking to. "Let me introduce you to Elizabeth Fabelstein. She is in charge of the Austrian division of the Markeston Bank in Vienna. Ms Fabelstein, meet Andrew McCoy."

She took the hand he offered her and smiled a much appreciative smile. "Oh, such a strong grip for such a handsome young man."

Riku smiled, a tad uncomfortable and kissed the back of her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you," he politely said.

"Mind you," Tifa said as she moved closer to them, "Lizzie here is quite the notorious cougar."

"Mae Lin! What a horrible thing to say!" Elizabeth exclaimed, though her voice betrayed her hidden amusement. Apparently she felt more pride than shame for said alleged reputation. No doubt she hoped to catch a new boy toy tonight. Riku briefly wondered if Sora ever crossed paths with this obvious sex fiend.

He shuddered mentally.

"So, what does a fine young man like you do?" Elizabeth asked, unashamedly moving closer to him.

"Uh—" he stammered intelligently, fruitlessly trying to take her hands off of him.

"He's currently on a sabbatical from Cambridge University," Tifa intervened with a giggle. "His parents own the law firm McCoy & Bullström."

"Oh," Elizabeth crooned, still moving closer, her hands now crawling up his chest. "McCoy & Bullström you say? Why that is very interesting."

"Ms Fabelstein," Riku tried, bordering panicky now. No matter what he did, she just kept groping him. Did this woman grow an extra pair of arms in the past ten seconds?! "Err—Can I get you something to drink? Anything?"

"Oh, and he's an attentive one too…" she whispered with a seductive grin. Her hands suddenly landed on his rear cheeks and he squeaked. "Hmm… as well as firm all over…"

Riku turned to Tifa pleadingly. "_Help me."_

"All right, Lizzie. That's quite enough. You're making the boy feel uncomfortable," she said, pulling her away from him gently. "Besides, Andrew and I have some catching up to do."

Elizabeth grinned at Riku over Tifa's shoulder. "Oh come on, that's not fair! You can't keep a specimen like that all to yourself. You have that beautiful male with his gorgeous red mane of hair already!"

Tifa laughed and shook her head, "It's nothing like that. Andrew and I are old friends; we met when I lived in Boston a few years back."

"All right, fine," she huffed and moved towards Riku again, who instinctively took a few steps back. "If you don't mind sharing me tonight," she whispered in his ear, "I'm staying in suite 7100 at the Hotel de Paris across the street." She winked at him and walked away.

"Did she just imply what I think she implied?! What is she 60?!"

Tifa was nearly dying with laughter now and leaned against him to catch her breath. "67, actually," she giggled before breaking in more laughter at his horrified expression. "Oh come on, you must admit that she's very well preserved. My mother would kill to have a waist and skin like hers."

"And did you have to just stand by and watch?"

Tifa snorted and grinned, pressing her palms together and bowing. "I'm sorry, Andrew. In my culture rejecting an older woman's advances is very much frowned upon."

Riku scowled at her. "Oh cut the crap _Mae Lin_."

"She took his right arm. "Honestly though, I've never seen her this excited before."

"She's old enough to be my grandmother," he murmured as they walked past the band.

"To each their own kinks," she shrugged.

"No. Thanks."

They walked in silence for a while, observing the crowd.

"So, how's Monaco been treating you so far?"

Riku rolled his eyes. "I've seen enough of it to last a life time. I just want to get out of here as soon as possible. With Sora."

Tifa nodded. "Xehanort will be here at ten to announce the total amount of accumulated funds. See those two black dressed men guarding the double doors over there?"

Riku looked over to his far left and spotted said men. "What are they guarding?"

She stopped them at the buffet table, took a plate and put a few hors d'oeuvres on it. "They're guarding the grand prize."

"The grand prize…?" Riku echoed.

"You knew that Sora would be auctioned off tonight, right?"

He nodded.

"Well, according to what I've been told, the person who gives the most tonight wins Sora. There was a slight shift of plans. He's the grand prize."

"What?!" Riku exploded, refraining just in time from letting his voice rise too much. "Does everyone here know this?"

Tifa nodded.

"So you're telling me that Sora's the only one being auctioned off tonight and everyone here is giving money just for a chance to— I thought there'd be other—" He didn't even finish his sentence, realizing how wrong it was to even hope for others to share Sora's fate, but it reduced his chances to win him for himself.

Tifa looked at him sternly. "Riquelle was right. You are a hothead."

Riku glared at her, "What the hell—"

"Stop it," she said through gritted teeth, pulling him away from the table and closer to her with amazing strength. "It's all been taken care of. You'll be the one to see Sora tonight."

"You outbid all of them?"

She took a breath and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I did."

He watched her and understood the implications hidden in her statement. "Thank you," he said, suddenly feeling shamefully ungrateful. "But won't they protest that I'm the one claiming 'the prize'?"

"Not at all," Tifa whispered, "It's a favor I gained and it is for me to give to whomever I please. I assure you that you'll be alone with him."

Riku nodded in understanding, but couldn't help but ask: "Why did they choose Sora as the prize?"

She wrapped her arms around herself and averted her gaze. "Originally he wasn't."

"It's because of what happened yesterday, isn't it?"

Tifa nodded sadly, her wine red gaze going over the many faces gathered in the room. "It's Xehanort's way of punishing him and… breaking him further."

Riku was boiling by now. "I am going to—"

She grabbed him again and looked into his eyes intently. "I know. But you will save Sora first."

"Is there any chance that they know? Do you think it's the reason for…?"

"No," she resolutely said with a definite shake of her head. "He's been punished because he ran off after Kadaj was assaulted."

_You ran off? Why? Did I scare you off so terribly, you felt the need to run away?_

"Most of them think you're dead anyway."

Riku looked up at her. "Most of them."

"I can't be sure of Xehanort," she said with a shrug. "I can't believe he was easily convinced, but how could he know? There's no trace we left of you."

"If he did know, he would've found me by now anyway."

"Exactly," she nodded. "That's why tonight is so important. You won't get another chance. You'll get to be with Sora until 11 o'clock tomorrow morning. That's more than twelve hours." She moved closer and pressed a kiss to his right cheek. He could feel her slip something in the right pocket of his vest. "The diamond ear studs emit a constant signal for us to track him. One is enough, but he has to have it on him if we are to find him," she whispered in his ear as she now hugged him. She let him go and smiled. "Our objectives of tonight will be fulfilled. I have been given the stick."

"How will you approach Xehanort—"

She smirked, "He has a weak spot for Asian beauties. "

Riku smiled and nodded, understanding. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Tifa whispered placing her hands together and bowing. "We want to bring them down as much as you do. Godspeed." And she walked away.

Riku turned towards the buffet again and glanced at his watch. There were a mere ten minutes left before Xehanort was to take stage, a mere ten minutes before he'd finally see Sora again. His heart fluttered at the thought of holding him again.

"If we weren't here on a covert operation, I'd be enjoying this party."

Riquelle appeared next to him a few minutes later and grabbed a hors d'oeuvre. "Did she give you the information you needed?"

He felt the studs in his pocket and nodded. "She did, everything will go as planned."

"All right then."

The lights suddenly dimmed and the podium at the back was lit up. The music ended and all eyes turned to the two men getting on stage under a rain of applause.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen—"

Riku placed his drink down and looked up, the fire of revenge burning in his eyes. Riquelle took him by the arm and together they moved forward.

"It's show time."

* * *

The penthouse suite of the Hotel de Paris was situated on the two top floors of the main building.

The two men who'd escorted him to the suite closed the grand doors behind him and stood guard in the hall.

To his pleasant surprise, before he left the Grand Hall of the Casino, Kadaj courtly invited him to spend the afternoon at the Villa with him the following day. Something about exchanging experiences, not that it mattered anyhow. He got exactly what he was hoping for and nothing would stand in the way of his downfall. It was just perfect.

Riku turned towards the majestic entrance hall he now stood in. A short flight of stairs led to the second floor and ahead was a lavishly furnished living room with an inviting balcony and a panoramic view over the sea. A soft breeze blew through the white draperies, revealing the lit up town of Monte Carlo Bay.

Riku stepped in further, his heart thundering in his chest with each step. His palms felt sweaty and now his chest felt too tight and the bow tie was nearly suffocating him and now that he was here, he really wished he knew what to tell him.

The living room was lit up, but he found no one there.

Was he supposed to wait for him? The men who accompanied him never bothered to send instructions his way. Was he supposed to go and search? Upstairs maybe?

He was getting antsy and he hated being antsy so he made up his mind and decided to try his luck in the chambers up stairs.

How would Sora react when he'd recognize him? Would he be happy? Would he be mad that he came?

Arrived on the top of the stairs, he entered a dimly lit hallway with billowing curtains and a brightly lit bathroom at the end connected directly to the master bedroom.

Riku walked out of the hallway and into the bedroom, his eyes falling immediately on the form sitting at the opposite end of the bed with his back to him. He was wearing a midnight blue bathrobe, same color as the bedspread he was sitting on. His hair was still damp; he could see the light from the bedside lamp reflected in it. When he turned his head towards him, Riku felt his breath catch in his throat. He couldn't utter a single word. Not one coherent word would come to him so he just stared. From the graceful line of his neck to the curve of his jaw and the swell of his cherry red lips, he drank in every memory they evoked like a dying man, letting them overwhelm him in a way he couldn't begin to control.

Those blue eyes that had fuelled many a fantasy were watching him cautiously now, almost hostilely and he was brought back to reality with a shock. He'd always been able to read his entire life in them when they were together; he'd always known who he was when he was with him. He'd felt so lost without them.

Now he looked at them, but those eyes— he couldn't recognize them anymore. Something had died in them and the Sora looking at him right now knew less about who he himself was than the stranger standing in the same room with him.

"Sora—"

As if on cue, Sora stood and walked over to him, reached for the sash that kept his robe together and pulled. The garment cascaded down his bony shoulders, his thin arms, his small chest, the narrow waist and hips and finally his skinny thighs.

The man standing before him now was but a shadow of what he once used to be.

Before Riku had finished taking in all the changes in Sora's body, Sora dropped to his knees and reached for the belt of his pants, beginning to pull on it. He moved away quickly, taking away the brunette's balance. "What are you doing?"

Sora stared at him in incomprehension. "What do you mean? Didn't you just win me? Didn't you come here to fuck me?"

Riku could only reflect his incomprehension at the way he spoke those words without so much as batting an eye. The Sora he knew wouldn't have been able to say that without drawing all his blood to his cheeks. "I—What? No! It's me, Sora."

Sora blinked up at him, clearly not understanding.

Riku helped him up on his feet by his shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "It's me," he whispered gently with a soft smile, "Riku."

Sora looked him at him more closely, searching for the features that characterized his former lover until he finally recognized him with a soft gasp. For a tiny second, Riku saw that glint in his eye again before it vanished and Sora shrugged his hands off of him, taking a step back.

"What are you doing here?" he asked with an annoyed voice, retrieving the robe from the floor. "The man who paid for me can be here any minute—"

In a way, he expected a reaction similar to this one, but it still felt like a blow to his stomach all the same. Riku just had to remind himself that this was his fault and that he was here to make it right. He had to get Sora out of here, even kicking and screaming if that's what it took.

"I'm here to get you out."

Sora snorted and finished tying up the sash around his waist. "Go home, Riku."

There was weariness in his tone of voice that didn't go unnoticed by him and he felt his heart clench. Sora had given up on all hope, it seemed. He'd waited too long and Riku was too late.

"I mean, don't get me wrong," Sora continued, now looking at him with a mocking smile, "I'm not saying that you wouldn't be able to, but I just don't want to go."

"No, I'm not leaving here without you. I'm taking you home!" Riku said, taking a determined step closer.

Sora cocked his head to the side, that mocking smile still present. "Why would you want to do that? I'm good here; I get fed, I get to stay in luxurious hotel rooms like these," he spread his arms and then stood to walk to the cocktail table standing against the wall right from Riku and poured himself a glass of whisky without ice. "And most of all: the sex really isn't all that bad," he whispered to him with a smirk. He lifted his glass to his lips. "I get variation, which I didn't really have with you."

That stung, but Riku recognized the tactic employed all too well. "It doesn't matter what you say; I know you don't want to be here for the rest of your life. You know you deserve better."

The smirk faltered from Sora's features and he took a step closer to him, fierce defiance now shining in his eyes. "So what if I do deserve better? It still doesn't make me want to leave. All things considered, I live a good life here."

"Are you bullshitting me?" Riku chuckled humorlessly. "I know what you're trying to do and I'm telling you _right now; _it won't work! I'm getting you out of here, Sora, even if it's the last thing I do."

Sora didn't speak and only stared, unfazed.

Riku sighed, "Look, I'm not asking you to come back to me per se." Even though he'd resigned himself to the alluded fact that Sora probably didn't love him anymore, his shoulders slumped when that statement seemed to catch his attention. "But you have a family that longs to see you, friends who are worried about you."

Sora huffed and placed his drink down on the table and moved back to the bed. He threw the covers back on one side.

"What are you doing?" Riku wondered.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked, sitting down on the white sheets. "I'm going to bed. If you're not going to fuck me or do anything else worth my while I might as well catch up on some Z's."

Riku was awestruck, despite the situation. This was absolutely ridiculous. "I'm not done talking to you!"

"Well if you talking means trying to guilt me into going back, you might as well give up now," Sora spoke, lying himself down, face away from him. "I'm going to sleep now."

Riku felt himself trembling with pent-up frustration. "Why are you being like this?"

"I thought you knew," was the answer.

Riku marched up to the bed and yanked all the covers off with one hard haul. "No, why are you being such a hateful little brat?!"

Sora sighed and rolled over to look at him, his expression calm and collected. "I don't need you here."

"I'm sure as Hell not leaving without you!" Riku retorted hotly.

His vacant eyes held on to his burning ones as he repeated in a deliberate tone; "I. Don't. Need. You. Here."

Riku knew he was only doing this to get under his skin and damn it, it was working way too well for his liking. "I know you don't mean that."

"Are you going to fuck me?"

"No!"

"Then I don't need you here."

"Son of a—" Riku held himself in and turned away. He knew he wasn't going to win this war of nerves by getting himself so angry to the point that he lost all control. He only needed to remind himself of what Sora had endured during the past months and that it wasn't his fault that he was acting this way. How many sweat filled nights had he had to endure? How many men and women had feasted on his body like starved hyenas on a dying prey?

Could he ever reverse the damage they caused?

He didn't know if he could ever manage that, but he knew he had to try.

"I won't leave you," he finally said, voice soft and this close to pleading. Riku knew he'd eventually have to let him go, but right now he couldn't care less about that. "You're the only thing I live for. I won't leave you."

There was no response behind him and he nodded at the silence. "There's a room downstairs. I'll let you have your rest tonight."

He left the room with all the calmness he could muster even though his heart felt like it was about to break itself in two all over again.

* * *

**_Thank you for reading! __Reviews are greatly apreciated!_**

_ToBeContinued…_

_**-BDP-**_


	12. When night is darkest,hope is most frail

* * *

12: When night is darkest, hope is most frail (1)

* * *

2 am.

The thing he hated most about arguing with his conscience was that almost every time, his conscience won out.

Sora threw the covers off of him, giving up on sleep and strolling out of the room. He could hear the sound of a TV playing downstairs and briefly hesitated. It didn't surprise him to find Riku still awake because whenever they were together, one never found a restful sleep without the other by his side.

He grunted in annoyance and began his descend, carefully emptying his expression as he went. He planned on walking right past him and getting something out of the refrigerator in the kitchenette, but he found Riku lying on the couch, fast asleep. He looked completely hollowed out and exhausted. And now that he really looked at him, he noticed the small worry lines that creased his forehead where before there hadn't been any, the way his cheekbones stood out more, the dark circles underneath his eyes and the downward curve of his mouth.

Sora felt like crying at the sight. His heart ached to see him like this. He'd known they'd both suffer with the choice he made, but seeing it now right in front of him was too much.

There was so little left of the man Sora once knew and it wounded him deeply to come to this realization.

The TV was showing an old talk show re-run in French. Sora picked up the remote from the small table and turned it off. He slid down onto the carpet carefully and crawled over to Riku's sleeping form. Everything just felt so wrong now that he was here, everything hurt a thousand times more than it used to and he couldn't take it. He couldn't do this with him here.

Sora bit his lower lip to keep it from trembling as he sniffled and moved closer to him, wanting more than anything to get him out of here safe and sound and away from this godforsaken place. He wouldn't be able to survive the pain if they hurt him for real this time.

"You have no idea, Riku," he whispered, tears rolling out of his eyes. "You don't know what you've gotten yourself into…"

Riku sighed in his sleep.

"I can't lose you again," he whispered against his lips, eyes closed in silent prayer.

He stood and went to the second bedroom in the back of the apartment, grabbing the duvet off the bed. He kneeled next to him again and covered him with it. He stiffened when Riku turned around on the couch to face the other way. But he didn't wake.

Sighing in silent relief, Sora stood and stared at him. If hurting him was the only way to keep him safe, then he wouldn't hesitate to do so. There was nothing he wouldn't do for Riku's wellbeing.

"Forgive me."

* * *

Her body trembled on top of his as she came.

Long rivers of ebony cascaded down her pale shoulders, flowing untamed over her skin. Her breasts swayed softly back and forth while she rode her orgasm out, her small mouth open in sinful ecstasy, cherry red lips quivering helplessly in the throes of her passion. Her dark eyelashes fluttered softly against her moist cheeks with every jerky movement of her hips and he continued to watch her move like that, lost in her rapture, like a beautifully fallen angel.

She finally collapsed on him with a drawn out moan and a last gasp.

He chuckled at her and she smirked back. "What?"

Xehanort stroked her hair gently and moved his head to look at hers lying against his chest. "I don't know which one to cancel; my ten o'clock or my eleven o'clock.

Mae Lin smiled and detached herself from him, throwing the covers off her body and landing her feet on the floor. "Hmm, that is a dilemma." She stood and took a few steps away before glancing over her shoulder sultrily, "Either way, both can be rescheduled whereas my time here cannot."

He propped himself on one elbow and picked up a black lace bra that lay on the covers beside him. "You make it hard to negotiate," he said, twirling the bra by one of its straps around his index.

"Wouldn't want to make it too easy for you now…" She smirked at him and pulled her long hair up to pin it in place. She watched him play with her bra for a moment and rolled her eyes playfully at the content smirk on his lips. She then turned and walked into the bathroom, making sure to sway her hips enticingly. Seeing that he was still lying in the large bed with his eyes fixed on her backside she snorted. "So are you joining me, or what?"

He bit his lower lip and grinned back innocently. "I'm sorry, were we already negotiating then?"

She flashed him a seductive smile, "We're always negotiating."

Later, when he left for his eleven o'clock business meeting, she finished strapping her shoes on and rose from the bed, taking her handbag from where she'd left it. She'd convinced his assistant to give her a couple of extra minutes to make herself decent. Heading for the main office at the other end of the apartments that constituted Xehanort's private chambers, she checked her watch and read a quarter to ten. She walked into the large, sunlit room and sat herself behind the desk. She reached for the mini USB-stick she'd inserted in the back of the open laptop the night before and pulled it out. A soft chime sounded and a message appeared on the screen, telling her that the files had been successfully copied to the drive. She smiled, put on her sunglasses and walked out, calmly making her exit.

Mission accomplished.

* * *

Riku awoke with a start.

Different smells filled the air around him, bringing with them the promise of delicious food. It was morning already.

He rolled over to face the coffee table and found different trays laden with delectable dishes displayed before him.

Sora was looking at him from his position in a corner of the opposite couch.

"Morning," Riku grunted, sitting up. He then noted the duvet that covered him and paused. He did not remember covering himself last night.

Sora didn't respond and kept on staring at him.

He couldn't keep his heart from feeling elated when thinking about Sora's caring gesture. Riku looked over at his watch nonchalantly and then reached for the coffee can. "I must've dozed off…"

"Why are you still here?"

"To take you back home with me, like I told you last night."

"Home is where I choose it to be, Riku," Sora said with a condescending smile. "And I chose here."

Riku smirked right back. "I'm still getting you out of here, with or without your permission."

Sora scowled at him and slowly rose to his feet. "You would force me?"

Riku lifted his cup of coffee to his lips to take a sip. "Will you cooperate?"

Sora pressed his lips close and looked away. "Do you really think I'd just let you take me with you?"

Riku stood in turn. "You won't alert anyone."

"How can you be so sure?" Sora challenged.

"Because I know you want out of here as much as I want you to."

Sora scoffed and rolled his eyes. "You don't know me as well as you thought you did anymore, Riku. I'm not coming with you."

"So you keep saying," he said with a shrug. "But I'm still not convinced that you really want to stay here."

"I've been forced to change my view on things. This is what I am now and it is what I want."

Riku chuckled. "Listen to yourself! Is it me you're trying to convince? Or are you trying to convince yourself?"

Sora rolled his eyes. "I have nothing left to prove to anyone," he said, turning towards the kitchen. He began walking to the counter and took a strawberry out of the fruit basket laid there readily. "If you don't want to believe me, fine. But I'm not going anywhere." He bit into the juicy fruit and moaned lewdly at its sweet taste. "That reminds me," he whispered, turning to face Riku again while he licked the juice that ran down the palm of his hand, "this is a great counter to get bent over." He giggled in a most innocent way and finished the strawberry with a last moan. "We should really try it out sometime."

Riku looked away, the scene before him so wrong in too many ways. It angered him to see him like this. "Stop it."

"Stop what, Riku?" Sora asked, his voice all sugary sweet. He reached for a peach this time and slurped up all the juice around his bite before walking over to him, the piece of peach still between his pearly white teeth. He moved closer and pursed his lips, aiming for a kiss.

"Snap out of it!" Riku cried, holding both of Sora's hands in his now to keep him at bay. "This is not you!"

Sora swallowed the peach and licked his lips, expression relaxed. "Are you sure?" he purred. "How can you be? Hell, you've been sending mixed signals since last night; I know I'd be confused…"

Riku gritted his teeth together and looked away.

"Hey now, it's okay," Sora chuckled, "I get it. I guess I'm just not good enough anymore, right? Wanting me and actually doing me are two different things, especially now that my status has somewhat changed."

"Stop it, damn it!" he growled from between his teeth, shaking him. "Just fucking stop it!"

The smile did not disappear from Sora's face, but there was a definite glint of triumph in his gaze now. "But we were beginning to have fun…" he whispered, brushing up against him now. "If you only you knew how many times I fantasized that it was you doing me from behind over that counter…"

A sharp shot of arousal coursed up his spine and Riku released a shaky breath. "Fuck…" His body was betraying him and he wanted nothing more than to take what was being offered so willingly, but his mind still registered the immorality of going into his urges and the ensuing repercussions. Right now, he wanted to reclaim Sora. He wanted to take him hard and fast and definitely not in a good way, like an alpha male that would force itself upon its chosen mate. In this current state of events, he was certain that it would only change things for the worse and he knew he was beginning to lose control.

"Riquelle told me to tell you that she'd be at the gallery this afternoon to overlook the shipment she ordered," he blurted out instead.

Sora stilled in his movements, "What?" All cockiness had vanished from his face and he looked more like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over his head. "How'd you—"

Riku took a breath, silently smiling in relief, and let go of his hands to put them on each side of his face. "Riquelle is part of the team trying to get you out of here. Roxas is helping too."

Sora gasped and tried to step back, eyes filled with unmasked fear. "Roxas?" he whispered in horror.

"We were planning on getting you out by the end of the week." Riku continued with a nod. "There's an entire team counting on us right now."

Sora then began to fight earnestly against Riku's grip on his face, shaking his head. "You need to go now," he whispered, backing himself away from him until he hit the refrigerator, breathing rapidly.

"In order for our plan to work, we need your cooperation, babe," Riku whispered softly, holding his gaze. "Everything has already been set in motion. We can't do this without you."

"No!" he said with a shake of his head. "I won't help you."

Riku looked around and then glanced back at him. "Are they listening in on us?"

"No," Sora whispered, looking away from him. "Just get out."

Riku watched him for a moment and then reached for a nearby chair to sit on. "I'm not going anywhere until check-out in…" he looked at his watch, "one hour and 14 minutes. So, you either start talking or I make you listen."

"Because that worked so well in the past," Sora snarled back.

"Look," Riku grunted, shooting him an annoyed glare, "obviously you're worrying about what will happen to you or us if we ever get caught plotting behind those bastards' backs. So don't even start yapping about how good you have it here because that look on your face right now tells me the exact opposite."

Sora bit his tongue and looked away.

"Mixed signals, what a bitch, go figure," Riku said sarcastically, standing. He placed a hand on his face and turned it to his. "We have a good plan, trust me. It will work."

"You don't know that!" Sora snapped before he realized it himself, betraying his own desperation. He sighed and placed his face in his hands.

"I do," Riku calmly replied. He moved in closer and Sora could feel his breath on his skin. "It will work."

"Shit." Sora whispered turning his face away from his. He wiped the tears off his face with the back of his hand and reached for a drawer on the other side of the counter, taking out a Marlboro-pack and shaking a smoke and a lighter out. He lit the cigarette and began to smoke it, all the while muttering words under his breath that Riku couldn't make out.

Riku smiled despite the situation, suddenly endeared by his behavior, reminiscent of the way they used to argue and bicker before. "I'm sorry, Sora."

Sora took a drag and blew the smoke up into the air, one annoyed eye fixed on him. "Here we go…"

"What?" he asked, taken aback.

The brunette sighed and looked at him, "I'm not mad at you for what has happened to me, Riku."

Riku blinked, surprised. He frowned then, "How can you not be?"

Sora scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Wow, you really know how to make everything about you, don't you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Stop beating yourself up about it, that's all I'm saying."

"How am I making this all about me?!" Riku demanded, clearly confused.

Sora blew out more smoke before squashing the rest of his cigarette on an empty ashtray nearby. "Ok, never mind," he offered, smiling at him complacently. "Let's keep the focus on me, then."

Riku sighed, wondering why in Hell it all had to be so complicated. He wanted his Sora back, the fun loving and caring Sora. Was that so much to ask for?

"You haven't answered me yet."

"Answered what?"

"We can't do this without you."

Sora shrugged, feigning indifference unsuccessfully, "Then just go."

"If I walk out this door right now, you'll never see me again."

Sora opened his mouth, a snappy remark ready.

"Because," Riku continued calmly, "you telling me 'no' will result in me dying while trying to get you out of here."

All movement in the younger male's body stopped as he tried to take a steadying breath. "Then don't," he said, clearly shaken.

Riku flashed him a sad grin. "Don't what? Save you? Don't love you? Stop wanting you?" he'd gotten closer to him again and pinned him against the counter. "Stop my heart from wanting you back into my life so desperately?"

Sora was looking anywhere but at him, trying to escape what was so painstakingly in his face, tears rolling in thick drops, lips trembling. "Please…"

Riku closed his eyes and slowly framed his face with his palms, resting their foreheads together as he said; "Kill me now if you really want me to go; deliver me from the shallow existence your absence has made of my life; because there is nothing, _nothing_ waiting for me past those doors if you don't come with me."

There was a sob and then their lips were touching and there was deep despair and pain, so much of it in the kiss that everything drowned in it. They could not deny their love, the passion they still had for each other. It was too much and it hurt and frightened them to know what this meant, to want everything back and knowing what that would cost.

Sora was trembling all over in his arms but didn't let go, his grip on his shirt so tight it was sure to rip the fabric. He'd dreamt of this and nothing would take it away from him now, even if it was only for this lost moment in time, he wanted it, god, he need this; he'd fucking deserved it.

_Everything, from his smell to the feel of his hair to the taste of his lips, it was all so much better than in his dreams. Never was he to let go of it ever again, he'd sell his soul to keep this safe and the world would burn if anything happened to him again._

Riku broke the kiss and worked Sora's hair back with his hands, taking in every bit of his features, re-imprinting them in his memory. His fingers were trembling, his body aching and he blindly found those cushions of plush rose petals again, drinking the dew off their soft surface without hesitating to drink the sweet nectar hidden in their folds. The fruit bowl fell to the floor along with the peaches, strawberries, grapes and mangos. The ashtray made way for Sora's behind when Riku lifted it upon the black granite of the kitchen counter.

A brief dance of flying clothing ensued, ending with their two writhing bodies half naked on top of each other, trembling together.

Just as Riku moved back to look at him, he noted the many blemishes and scratches that covered Sora body and he halted in his movements.

Sora saw him hesitate and bit his lower lip to keep it from quivering as his eyes filled with tears. "I can't."

Riku ducked his head and felt like kicking himself. "I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have—"

Sora was really trembling all over now; eyes now full of angst as he looked to the side. "Just hand me my robe, ok?"

"Yeah, sure," he whispered, a little distracted as he got back off the counter and grabbed the blue bathrobe from the floor. "Here."

Sora quickly covered his body and got off, tightening his grip on the folds of the robe as he held it close.

"Are you alright?" It was a selfish question, but he needed to know.

The brunette sniffled and ran a hand through his hair, flinching briefly at the hand Riku tentatively placed on his shoulder. "Yeah… I'm fine."

Riku noted the evasive reaction and his heart clenched together. He wanted to tell him that it'd be alright, that everything would work out fine. It was one thing to say it, another to actually realize it. And now he could only think of those who did this to them and he was taken over by thoughts so dark he feared he'd lose himself in them if he didn't grab on to a semblance of sanity.

"Riku, what are you planning on doing now?"

He returned to reality with a sharp mental snap, now looking into the wide and frightened eyes of the man he'd move heaven and earth for and vowed to himself that never again he'd see that expression in them. But he needed to pace himself and think rationally. He reached into the pocket of his pants and took out the ear studs he placed there earlier and took them out.

"Can you wear these without being asked about them?"

Sora stared at the diamond studs in the palm of his right hand and blinked. "Jewelry?" he asked incredulously, "I have a box full of them in my bathroom in the mansion. They won't bat an eye if I have a pair more or less."

Riku internally growled when he thought of the provenance of the jewelry and the reason why he'd been given them. He absolutely did not want to be associated with those other men and women who'd courted his services with expensive jewelry.

"No, these emit a constant, concealed and encoded GPS signal so we can pinpoint your location at any time," he explained, moving in to put them in, but thinking against it, seen as how Sora'd become tense when it came to physical contact. It again made him wonder briefly what in Hell they did to him and how hard it must've been for Sora to work up the walls he hid behind and through which Riku slowly but surely was breaking through.

Sora took the studs and put them in, hiding those beneath his unruly mop of hair when he was done.

"We're planning on getting you out on Saturday."

"During the Halloween Party?"

Riku nodded and took a calculated breath. "I've tried to… have you for the following three nights, but I'm afraid I can only come and see you tonight and tomorrow."

Sora smiled, wrapped his arms around himself and shrugged. "He usually gets me for big events; there was nothing you could've done."

"He?" he was afraid to ask, but did anyway, "Xehanort?"

Sora shook his head and took a shaky breath, "No," he whispered, "Kadaj."

Unprecedented rage unfurled within him and he wanted to kill something so bad he almost felt physical pain knowing that he couldn't. Not yet.

"Is he the one who…" he began cautiously, giving Sora's body a once over.

Sora looked away and breathed in slowly, trying to hide his body from him. He shook his head and then fell into silence, eyes staring blindly at the bay. "They'd come in together… but Xehanort would only watch… or give instructions…" his voice sounded from far away as he spoke, his eyes glazed over with shadows from the past. "The first days…" he broke off and swept a shaky hand through his hair. "The first days were the worst…" he nodded to himself as if to conclude and then glanced at the clock hanging above the plasma screen in the living area. "I better get dressed; they'll come for me soon."

Riku reached out for him and winced when he saw him cringe at the contact. He immediately let go. He didn't dare pushing the topic further. He understood how vulnerable Sora was now and he almost regretted punching down the walls he'd pulled around himself because now he had to send him back into the lion's pit with close to nothing as protection. He felt awkward; he didn't even know what he was going to say now. '_Hang in there?'_ He was sure that if that sounded as bad as it did in his head, it'd suck even more once it was out of it mouth. He couldn't hold him in his arms let alone kiss him without upsetting him further so he settled with a smile and a promise.

"I'll see you tonight."

A small smile crept up Sora's lips and he nodded. "I'd like that."

And just like that, hope exuded in him again and he smiled back. "Okay."

* * *

"You look well rested."

Sora looked up from his ongoing search after the keys of the gallery in his messenger bag and nearly bumped into Nathan leaning against the door. "Dude," he said in a miffed tone, "Move your ass, Sasquatch, you're blocking the door."

"Ooh, someone must've fallen out of bed hard this morning." Nathan commented teasingly as he moved to give Sora the room he needed to open up the gallery. "He must've been a very demanding client, that Mr. McCoy, to have you this cranky towards me."

Sora knew the man was fishing for commentary on the events of the past night, so he chose to ignore him and turned the key in its slot a couple of times before pushing the door open. "Shut up."

Nathan followed him in with a chuckle. "Come on, spill the beans; you look like you've been treated well," he said looking at his friend as he turned around to de-activate the alarm on the wall on their left. "You're even sporting a healthy blush on your little cheeks."

Sora shrugged, hiding the actual full on blush on his face by walking away and going to stand behind the counter. "I had an elaborate breakfast before coming here."

"Yeah, right," Nathan said, giving him an incredulous stare. "What was on the menu then?"

Sora snorted, amused, "I had an Asian omelet with a fresh salad and an orange juice."

Nathan huffed, folding his arms over his chest, "You're yanking my chain—"

"And Aeleus stopped by a coffee shop on the way over here and I got myself a cappuccino," he held up the empty cup he'd been holding and smirked. "That's why I'm twenty minutes late," he said with glee before adding, "I'm very sorry," in an unconvincing tone. He then opened the cabinet below the counter desk and took out his books and agenda.

Nathan watched him walk away towards his office on the first floor. "Whoa, Mr. McCoy must be a miracle worker, 'cuz that's a miracle right there."

"Oh come on," Sora chuckled, turning towards him again, "So I've decided to eat breakfast, big deal. And stop calling him Mr. McCoy."

Nathan put his hands on his hips scrutinizingly, "Oh? So what am I supposed to call him?"

It wasn't really the name that bothered him, but more the manner in which Nathan said it that just irked Sora. Granted, McCoy wasn't Riku's real name, but it was the identity he went by for now so hearing anyone talk it down the way Nathan did right now, just wasn't acceptable.

"Since when do you care about the clients' names?" Sora asked with a smile and shrug and began to turn away again.

"Since they're prepared to pay for your services on three consecutive days."

Sora stilled and decided to feign ignorance. "What?"

Nathan walked up to the counter and leant against it, brushing his wavy dark hair behind an ear. "Yeah. Andrew McCoy has reserved you for another two nights," he informed, his piercing green eyes pinning him in place. "This has never happened before and it worries me a little, to be honest."

Sora felt his heart pull a little with guilt, but smiled nonetheless. "Why are you worried?" he asked softly.

Nathan looked away and sighed, "I just am. It's not like they don't know how much you suffer with…" he made a wide gesture, "this." He then shook his head, "I even asked if I couldn't take your place on one night, but…"

Sora looked up at that and realized how much his friend was willing to do to keep him safe. But then again, there was no need to stress how glad he was that Xehanort had refused to switch them.

"You knew that he wouldn't say yes. He prefers watching you or having you for himself," Sora reminded him. "You're his favorite."

Nathan snorted.

"But thank you for trying anyway."

Their eyes met and Sora read that same determination in his eyes that he'd seen two days before. It still sent cold shivers down his spine for some reason.

"You were right though."

"Eh?"

He smiled to himself and then took a small breath. "Last night was one of the rare ones I spent with a perfect gentleman."

"Oh?"

Sora nodded and remembered Riku's promise from this morning. "He didn't force me into doing anything."

"All that money he paid just to have you and he didn't—?"

Sora shook his head with an embarrassed chuckle, "No…"

Nathan still didn't buy it. "And he was perfectly ok with that?"

"Perfectly," Sora replied, shrugging and hoping that he wasn't actually blushing. "Like I said; a perfect gentleman."

Nathan snorted, "There is no such thing."

Sora turned once more and closed his eyes, the events of last night going through his mind. "You'd be surprised."

Nathan only watched him go up the last of the steps silently, wondering if this new piece of information was as good as it sounded. In their line of work, that wasn't likely.

"Oh, before I forget."

Nathan looked up at Sora now standing in the door to his office.

"Riquelle Heartly is going to pass by later on. Call me when she does, ok?"

Nathan grunted.

"Be nice to the costumers!" Sora advised with a grin.

The tall brunette grinned wolfishly, "Aren't I always?"

Sora rose an eyebrow, "Would I be asking you to be if you were?" He giggled and then disappeared behind his door.

"I'm always nice," Nathan muttered to himself before sighing and begrudgingly taking place behind the reception counter to begin ordering the next shipment of artwork for the next exposition and getting through the grueling task of document handling that went with that.

He'd barely begun his first Sudoku raster of that day three hours later, when a petite blonde with big green eyes sauntered into the gallery. She looked around first, her red All Stars squeaking away on the marble floor as she went to the back. He caught himself looking at her cute behind and her beautiful naked legs under the white mini-short she wore. Her red, sleeveless top left one of her shoulders bare and he had to make himself look away from her breasts as she returned to the front with her strawberry blond curls bouncing around her pretty heart-shaped face, coming towards him with a troubled expression.

She had to be the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

"Excuse me," she said, her French accent barely noticeable, "Could you tell me where I can find Sora?"

Nathan blinked and caught himself again, letting her question register. "You must be Miss Heartly," he said, voice soft. She looked so much different than the way she did yesterday. Then again, he'd only seen her from a distance. From close by she was absolutely breathtaking.

He smiled at her and watched how she tucked a strand of her hair behind an ear, smiling back and nodding. "I'm Nathan," he said smoothly, "did you have an appointment with him?"

"Nice to meet you and yes, I have an appointment," she pushed her large white bag out of the way and then extended her hand to him. "I came to look at the artwork I bought at the exhibition."

"Oh, you like Matrenkaja?" he said, getting off his chair and moving away from the counter.

"Yes, I do," she said with a nod.

"She indeed is good," he replied, nodding. He walked up the stairs. "Let me see if he's in his office, excuse me."

"Of course," she whispered, watching him jog up the stairs with an appreciative smile. She shook her head and giggled, reminding herself to focus on the job at hand. Though she had to admit that he was pretty hot and that it'd been so long since she'd had any…

"Now now, Rikka… Calm yourself down, there are plenty of other men in the world for you to lust after. He's probably one of Xehanort's toys anyway…" She sighed and almost groaned. Figures…

"Riquelle."

She twirled around and looked up. "Sora," she said, smiling whole heartedly. He looked so much better than he did yesterday.

When Riku returned to the hotel earlier, he'd only flashed a wide smile and she'd known that they'd found each other again and that all went well. Seeing Sora now really warmed her heart, making all the efforts they made so far even more worth it.

"It's so good to see you again," Sora said, descending the steps rapidly and embracing her lovingly.

She put her arms around him and hugged back.

"You shouldn't have come," Sora whispered softly in her ear.

She frowned and then let go of him, her smile slightly faltered. Did Riku tell him, then? "It's good to see you too."

"Nate," he then called, turning around to the brunette sitting himself back down on his seat behind the counter. "I'm going to be in my office and I'd appreciate it if no one disturbed me."

He could see the slight pull of his lower lip and the beginning of a scowl on his friend's face and smiled, "Can you make sure I'm not?" he asked sweetly.

Nathan gave him a vile look that said, "_Do not fucking forget that I'm only here voluntarily since Emma is sick. I can leave your sorry ass in this creepy-ass store whenever I want."_ But instead he said, "You're the boss!"

Sora stuck the tip of his tongue out to him and then turned to the stairs. "Thank you. Shall we?" he asked her, letting her mount the stairs first.

"It was nice meeting you, Miss Heartly!" Nathan said cordially.

"Likewise!" She replied, turning to give him another smile. She continued on after that.

Sora frowned and looked from Riquelle to Nathan questioningly. "_What the…?"_

Nathan shrugged and mouthed back; "_I think I like her!"_

Sora rolled his eyes and made a _cut it_- gesture with his hand before quickly jogging behind Riquelle who had now reached the top of the stairs.

"I think I'm confused," Riquelle said as the door of the office closed behind her. "I see you're wearing the ear studs."

"What I meant to say," Sora began as he sat on the desk with a worried expression, "Is that, people are going to start connecting the dots if you keep coming here."

"I like the art!" She replied with a satisfied smile. "No, seriously, I do."

Sora smiled back, but shook his head. "Even Nathan finds it already suspicious that Riku is going to be my client for the next two nights. It's never happened before."

She approached him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, smiling tenderly. "We've evaluated the risks, Sora."

"But why? Riku's told me everything that I need to know about the plan, why risk everything by raising the suspicions around Andrew McCoy?"

Riquelle gave him a reprimanding look and a soft smile that said, "_Are you sure you don't know the answer?" _Instead she said, "Do you have any idea what Riku went through during the past few months? He was dying to see you."

Sora sighed and closed his eyes. "But it's not worth the—"

"Don't."

Tears were stinging behind his eyes and he bit his lower lip. "He told me he'd gladly die trying to save me."

"After living with Riku for these past few weeks it doesn't surprise me. Why are you? You, who's lived with him for years?"

"Because," he whispered, covering his face with a hand. "He's got me hoping again…"

Her eyebrows shot up at that. "And what's wrong with that?"

"I had lost all hope…" Sora admitted, wiping his cheeks off with the back of his hand, "I'd resigned myself to the reality of my life. If he were to die now, for real, I'd die along with him for sure this time."

"You love him, that much is clear, so why are you so reticent?"

"I'm not the same person I was before… I—"

"Why do you think he would care about what you did? We all know it wasn't your fault. After everything you've been through there isn't a single person in our team that has a low opinion of you." She took him in her arms and rested her head on his crown. "After what you've sacrificed, you're definitely worth all the risks."

Sora sighed, shook his head and wiped his cheeks dry with the back of his hand. "I don't know…"

"Believe it," Riquelle whispered, nodding. "Riku knows you've been through a lot, he knows that what you both had won't be easy to get back, but he is willing to take the risk. He loves you that much."

Sora was trembling in her arms and couldn't make himself stop. Just hearing those words caused a flood of held back emotions to erupt and he cried in earnest, his knees giving up on him and dragging her on the floor with him. He suddenly missed Kairi so much, her and her comforting words and gestures. Riquelle somehow reminded him of her and it made the ache in his heart even worse.

"You know what I'm going to do the minute I get the opportunity?"

Sora stilled and sniffled, shaking his head.

"Cut Kadaj's balls off with a blunt knife," she said softly, stroking his hair and holding him close.

Sora laughed and held her tighter. "Can I help?"

They laughed together some more and held on to each other.

"Hey Sora?" Riquelle whispered after a while, when his crying had subsided. "I know you're scared, but we won't let you down, I promise."

When she said that, he couldn't help but see Kairi again and he smiled, nodding against her chest.

* * *

_In the upcoming chapter we go back in time to have a deeper view of the life Sora led. I'll update as fast as I can._

_To be continued in **Yet** **the light of hope is hard to kill (2) **…_

_**-BDP-**_

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